Nairobi, March 30 -- Ethiopia has opted to take back thousands of its nationals who had been living in squalid conditions in Saudi Arabia. The decision was announced last week in Addis Ababa but will actually begin in early April, targeting some 70,000 Ethiopians.

It may be the noblest thing to do in rescuing its stranded citizens, but it poses a humanitarian problem to a country struggling with displacement of populations by local conflicts and from neighbouring countries.

State Minister Birtukan Ayano said the repatriation, the third such programme since 2018, will target "Ethiopians who are in a difficult situation".

It will not be cheap. Although the government in Addis did not formally announce the actual cost of the programme, Ms...