UAE reunites Tunisian dentist with her family

With close follow-up from the Ministry of Foreign Affairs and International Cooperation and the UAE Embassy in Tunisia and with the continuous coordination of the Operation Centre at the Ministry with competent authorities, Tunisian dentist Raya Bint Al Sobhi returned to the UAE where she was reunited with her 2-month-old and 5-year-old children, after being unable to return due to flight suspension amid the COVID-19 crisis.

The dentist had flown to her homeland Tunisia to visit her ill father and for personal health reasons, but was unable to return to the UAE due to the suspension of flights amid preventive measures to contain the spread of COVID-19.

During her stay in Tunisia, Dr. Raya was in continuous contact with the UAE Embassy in Tunis, and the Tunisian Embassy in the UAE, to ensure her return to the UAE.

Rashed Mohammed Al Mansouri, UAE Ambassador to Tunisia, said the Embassy coordinated with the Tunisian government, the Embassy of Tunisia in the UAE and competent authorities to facilitate all necessary procedures and ensure the dentist was reunited with her children, thanking all the parties involved for their limitless and fruitful cooperation.

UAE resident Raya Bint Al Sobhi, who is now in medical quarantine in the country, expressed her thanks and gratitude to all involved authorities for helping her return to her children and be reunited with her family after being stuck in Tunisia for two months.

Recently, Etihad Airways, the national airline of the UAE,  repatriated Farah Oubed along with her young son Adam and newborn baby Ahmad.

Oubed’s husband, Abdulmajid Koutrach, has not seen the family for four months after they were stranded as a result of the global lockdowns caused by the Coronavirus pandemic.

Koutrach said: “I am truly grateful to the UAE government and Etihad Airways for bringing my precious family back to our home in the UAE. It was very hard to be away from them for so long due to the coronavirus crisis and I’m the happiest man alive to see my beautiful wife Farah and our oldest son Adam again, and especially to meet my new son Ahmad for the very first time.”

WAM