Senator the Honourable Kamina Johnson Smith, Minister of Foreign Affairs and Foreign Trade, is advising the public that the Ministry has enquired into the welfare of Jamaican nationals in light of growing tensions in the region.
“We have directed our Embassy in Berlin, which is responsible for overseeing Jamaica’s relations with Ukraine, to undertake a welfare check on our nationals, who are privately pursuing tertiary studies in the cities of Kharkiv and Donetsk. The indications from the Embassy are that, while reports had been reflecting calm, some students have this week expressed unease with the situation and, in that context, as we have previously advised, they have been encouraged to make preparations in the event that they decide to leave the country on short notice,” said Minister Johnson Smith.
Minister Johnson Smith advised that, “These preparations include checking the availability of flights and ensuring that they have valid visas for the United Kingdom, Schengen countries and/or the United States of America to facilitate transit arrangements, should they become necessary. Students should also enquire of their universities whether any arrangements are being contemplated for emergencies, including postponement or facilitation of remote sitting of exams.”
Minister Johnson Smith further advised that the Ministry is aware of a total of forty (42) Jamaican students in the Ukraine, and an estimated twelve (12) nationals in Russia, the latter category having to date reported that they are not affected by the tensions reported in the international media. She is encouraging nationals to advise the Embassy of any emergency developments and of their decisions whether or not to leave, should the situation in their locations deteriorate.
The Embassy of Jamaica in Berlin continues to monitor the situation and to keep the Ministry updated. The Ministry remains seized with the developments and expresses the hope for a de-escalation of tensions in the area, and for diplomatic solutions to be found to resolve the matter peacefully.
