The International Organization for Migration (IOM) will work together with Vietnamese agencies to help Vietnamese workers get home safely as soon as possible.

Over the past few days, approximately 1,000 Vietnamese workers evacuated from Libya transited to Egypt, where 144 were provided with travel cost by the IOM to move to the Salloum border gate to return to Vietnam. Meanwhile, the organisation is arranging air tickets for 48 others to get home as soon as possible.

A Radio Voice of Vietnam (VOV) correspondent interviewed the Vietnamese ambassador to Egypt, Pham Sy Tam on the IOM’s support for the evacuation of Vietnamese workers from Libya who transited to Egypt looking for a way to get home.

Reporter: Could you please tell us about some of the activities over the past few days to help Vietnamese workers transiting through Egypt get home?

Mr Tam: Over the past days, more than 1,100 Vietnamese people went through Egypt to fly back home. They can fly directly from Egypt to Vietnam or to Turkey and or another third country to return home.

February 24, 25, 26 saw the highest number of Vietnamese people flying back home. From February 28- March 1, the figure remained high but as of March 4, the number was decreasing because some found it easier to travel by sea.

Reporter: How has the IOM supported the evacuation of Vietnamese workers?

Mr Tam: International organisations played an important role in evacuating Vietnamese workers from Libya, particularly the IOM. This organisation paid close attention to Vietnamese people as well as people from other countries. IOM representatives are always present in border areas to help Vietnamese people prepare for their travel from Cairo to Vietnam.

I can say that the IOM’s assistance has proved very effective; it has already assisted nearly 150 Vietnamese people to return home and is currently helping 48 others in Cairo.

I praise the organisation’s efforts and hope that IOM workers will continue to keep up their humanitarian spirit and assist Vietnamese people who were evacuated to other countries from Libya so they can go home soon.

Reporter: What is your assessment of the IOM’s assistance?

Mr Tam:  We appreciate this assistance which has eased the workers’ anxiety when they were in difficulty and suffered misfortune. With this help, they can feel secure when returning to their home country.

Reporter: How many workers will go to the Salloum border in the next few days? Will they continue to receive support from the IOM?

Mr Tam: It is difficult to be sure of the total number of people returning home, but we predict that the number going through Egypt will decrease considerably, maybe a few hundred. Currently, the Vietnamese Government and companies in Egypt are working hand in hand to help them get back home safely and quickly.

I think that the number of people is likely to fall but the volume of work will be increase. However, the IOM and relevant Vietnamese agencies will discuss ways to help workers return home safely.

Reporter: Thank you very much.

Source: VOV