Rwanda to evacuate nationals from Libya

Government is in talks with Turkey to secure the evacuation of Rwandan citizens residing in Libya.This follows unrests that has recently engulfed several North African countries, which extended to Libya after Tunisia and Egypt.

Friday, February 25, 2011
Students from Egypt. Government is working on evacuating their colleagues in Libya (File Photo)

Government is in talks with Turkey to secure the evacuation of Rwandan citizens residing in Libya.

This follows unrests that has recently engulfed several North African countries, which extended
to Libya after Tunisia and Egypt.

Protesters in Libya are demanding President Muammar Gaddafi to step down after 42 years in
office.

Robert Masozera, the former director general of the Diaspora directorate, now Ambassador
designate to Belgium, confirmed the development, saying that they are devising all means to
ensure the evacuation of the Rwandans.

"As usual, our government is committed to evacuate them and we are in touch with Turkey and
other countries which have access to Tripoli to help us,” he said in an interview.

He pointed out that the Turkish are willing to airlift Rwandans from Tripoli to Istanbul, from
where they will be flown to Rwanda.

It’s estimated that there 30 nationals in Libya, 18 of them students at Tripoli University.

Masozera added that they are communicating with them (students) using social media networks
like Facebook and Twitter.

He said that after they reach Istanbul, they will either send them an aircraft to fly them to
Kigali, or send them air tickets.

Recently 44 Rwandan students were evacuated from Egypt where protests led to the resignation of
President Hosni Mubarak after almost 30 years in office.

Ends