BY SIFISO NHLABATSI
MBABANE – Government has received two more Third Country Nationals (TCNs) of Latin American nationality from the United States of America under the bilateral arrangement between the two countries.
In a statement issued on Thursday evening, Acting Government Spokesperson Thabile Mdluli said the two individuals had arrived in the Kingdom following the necessary consultations and arrangements between the Governments of Eswatini and the United States, as well as relevant authorities.
Mdluli said the latest arrivals formed part of groups of TCNs received by Eswatini under the existing bilateral arrangement with the United States.
“Upon arrival, the two individuals were received in accordance with the established procedures and protocols governing the admission and temporary hosting of Third Country Nationals in the Kingdom,” Mdluli said.
Government did not disclose the identities of the two individuals or their specific countries of origin, only stating that they were of Latin American nationality.
The latest arrivals come as the number of TCNs temporarily hosted in Eswatini has been reduced by a series of voluntary repatriations involving individuals who requested to return to their respective countries and reunite with their families.
Earlier this month, two TCNs, nationals of Mauritania and the Democratic Republic of the Congo (DRC), voluntarily left Eswatini after requesting Government to facilitate their return home. The Mauritanian national departed on August 15, while the DRC national left the following day. Both had expressed a desire to reunite with their families, according to Government.
Government also announced on Wednesday that another TCN, a Somali national who was part of the fourth group received under the bilateral arrangement, voluntarily returned to Somalia on August 23 after requesting to reunite with his family. Authorities facilitated his departure and confirmed that he arrived safely in his country of origin on the same day.
The latest voluntary departure followed earlier repatriations involving nationals from Jamaica and Cambodia, who also returned to their respective countries after being among those transferred to Eswatini under the arrangement.
Government has previously indicated that a number of TCNs temporarily residing in Eswatini have expressed an interest in voluntarily returning to their countries of origin and reuniting with their families, with authorities engaging relevant partners to facilitate such requests in accordance with applicable procedures.
On the arrival of the latest two individuals, Mdluli said Government would continue working closely with the United States Government and international partners to ensure that all processes relating to the TCNs were managed in line with applicable protocols.
She said the Kingdom remained committed to managing the temporary hosting arrangement while safeguarding national interests.
Government said the public would be kept informed of any further developments regarding the TCNs and the bilateral arrangement with the United States.
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