A Somali national has become the fifth third-country national (TCN) to be repatriated from Eswatini following a request to voluntarily return home and reunite with his family.
Government announced yesterday that it had successfully facilitated the voluntary repatriation of the national of the Federal Republic of Somalia, who was among the people received by the kingdom under its bilateral arrangement with the United States of America.
According to a statement issued by acting Government Spokesperson Thabile Mdluli, the Somali national, who was part of the fourth group of TCNs received under the arrangement, requested to return to his country of origin.
Government subsequently made the necessary arrangements to facilitate his departure.
“He departed the kingdom on Sunday, August 23, arriving safely in Somalia on the same day,” Mdluli said.
The latest departure brings to five the number of TCNs repatriated to their respective countries since the country began receiving people transferred from the United States under the bilateral arrangement.
Just over a week ago, government facilitated the voluntary return of two other TCNs of Mauritania and the Democratic Republic of the Congo (DRC) after they expressed a desire to return home and reunite with their families.
The Mauritanian national, who had arrived in Eswatini in July as part of the fourth group, was repatriated on August 15, while the DRC national, who was part of the third group received by the kingdom, departed the following day.
The first two repatriations involved nationals of Jamaica and Cambodia, who returned to their respective countries in September 2025 and March 2026.
With the latest Somali national now having left the country, the number of TCNs currently hosted in Eswatini has fallen from 26 to 25, based on the 28 individuals received under the bilateral arrangement.
The kingdom received its first group of five TCNs on July 15, 2025, comprising nationals of Vietnam, Yemen, Cuba, Jamaica and Laos. A second group of 10 men arrived on October 6, 2025, from countries including Cambodia, Chad, Cuba, Ethiopia, Haiti, the Philippines and Vietnam.
Four more men from Somalia, Tanzania and Sudan arrived on March 11, 2026, followed by a fourth group of 11 TCNs on July 8.
The TCNs are temporarily housed at the Matsapha Maximum Correctional Facility, where government has maintained that their fundamental rights and wellbeing are being respected and protected in accordance with local laws and international obligations.
Mdluli said government would continue engaging relevant authorities and partners to facilitate voluntary repatriation requests from TCNs in accordance with applicable arrangements and procedures.
“Government continues to engage with relevant authorities and partners to facilitate requests for voluntary repatriation by third country Nationals, in accordance with applicable arrangements and procedures,” she said.
The latest repatriation underscores government’s position that while Eswatini continues to host TCNs transferred under the bilateral arrangement, individuals who voluntarily wish to return to their countries of origin and reunite with their families can have their requests facilitated through the relevant channels.
Government said the public would be kept informed of any further developments regarding the TCNs and their voluntary repatriation.
