The Switzerland Federal Office of Migration (FOM) said 544 Nigerians previously living in Switzerland returned home in 2013 under the Nigerian-Swiss migration partnership agreement.
The returnees received 7, 000 Swiss Franc to start up a new life in Nigeria, a statement issued by the FOM at the end the 5th meeting of the Technical Committee for the Swiss-Nigerian migration partnership on Tuesday in Abuja said.
Nigeria is reportedly the third main country of origin for asylum seekers in Switzerland in 2013 with 1,764 asylum applications.
“The number of asylum applications from Nigerian nationals fell by 35.8 per cent in 2013 compared to the previous year,’’ the statement read.
The FOM noted that in 2012 it supervised the departure of 441 Nigerians who voluntarily left the country.
The Under-Secretary in charge of Economy and Consular, Ministry of Foreign Affairs, Amb. Abdulaziz Dankano, led the Nigerian delegation at the meeting.
He expressed satisfaction with the progress made so far since the last meeting of the Nigerian-Swiss migration partnership in June 2013 in Berne.
He said that the achievements had led to increase in the number of voluntary return of Nigerians in Switzerland in ``a dignified manner.’’
He said the returnees would have something to fall back on upon their return to Nigeria.
Swiss delegation in Abuja was jointly led by FOM Director, Mario Gattiker and the head of the Human Security Division, Amb. Claude Wild.
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