Kathmandu, Jun 17 (PTI) Amid ongoing conflict between Israel and -Iran, Nepal on Tuesday prepared a comprehensive plan to ensure the safety and if necessary, the evacuation of its nationals from the region, officials said.
The government also resolved to deploy all available resources to safeguard the estimated 5,500 Nepali labourers in Israel and around a dozen in Iran.
The Ministry of Labour, Employment and Social Security has finalised a comprehensive plan to ensure the safety- and if necessary, the evacuation – of Nepali workers in the Middle East, officials said.
The evacuation plan was finalised at an emergency meeting chaired by Krishna Hari Pushkar, Secretary, the Minister of Labour and Employment. The meeting was attended by officials from the ministries of foreign affairs, home, tourism, law, and parliamentary committees.
The meeting was convened to assess risks and outline response strategies in the wake of the Israel-Iran conflict.
“The government is fully prepared to ensure the safety of Nepali migrant workers,” said Pushkar. “We will mobilise all necessary support, regardless of how the situation develops.” It was also decided to initiate diplomatic communication with third countries, such as Egypt, which borders Israel, and countries accessible by land from Iran, to facilitate visa arrangements should Nepalis seek to transit through these territories to return home, according to officials.
Pushkar said that Nepal would formally request India and China to include Nepali nationals in any evacuation efforts they undertake for their citizens in the region.
The government will also issue a travel advisory discouraging non-essential travel to West Asia and request recruitment agencies to withhold deployment of newly approved workers to high-risk zones, said officials.
In cases where airline tickets have already been issued, the Ministry of Tourism will request airlines to waive rescheduling fees.
To provide mental health support, the Foreign Employment Board and the Social Security Fund have been instructed to begin offering counselling services to affected workers from Tuesday onwards.
Most Nepalis in Israel are employed in the caregiving and agricultural sectors, often living in accommodations equipped with bunkers. Those without such facilities rely on public shelters during missile alerts.
Earlier this week, the Ministry of Foreign Affairs confirmed that all known Nepali nationals in both countries are safe and in contact with Nepalese missions there.
Nepal’s ambassador to Israel, Dhan Prasad Pandit, said on Monday that although the situation is tense, most Nepali workers have adapted to emergency protocols and are taking the necessary precautions. PTI SBP ZH ZH
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