He emphasized that the tourism department of the UAE has mandated hotels to provide free extensions of stays, but not all hotels comply with this directive.
“In reality, we are facing the fact that not all hotels follow this instruction. As a result, our consuls have to go on-site for negotiations,” he added.
Jumakadyrov uulu also noted that in case of such problems, citizens should immediately contact the consulate or the headquarters established within the consular department of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs.
Contacts for the Embassy of the Kyrgyz Republic in the UAE: +971522255269;
Consulate General of the Kyrgyz Republic in Dubai: +971522918840;
Consular Department of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs of the Kyrgyz Republic: +996999312002.
A representative of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs in Abu Dhabi added that the main difficulty lies in the failure of some airlines and hotels to fulfill their obligations. In emergency situations, airlines are supposed to provide accommodation for passengers, but in practice, for example, Air Arabia does not accommodate everyone, while FlyDubai approaches this more responsibly.
To resolve the issues that have arisen, consuls are going on-site, including at night, to negotiate with the administration and protect the rights of citizens.
Recently, a Kyrgyz citizen, Erkingul Sharshenbekova, contacted the editorial office of 24.kg, stating that she and other compatriots are stranded in the emirate of Ajman (UAE) due to the closure of airspace. According to her, they have to pay for their accommodation in hotels themselves, while representatives of the authorities and the consulate are not providing the necessary assistance.
As of March 2, there are about 22,000 citizens of the Kyrgyz Republic in the Middle East, mainly in Saudi Arabia and the United Arab Emirates. Currently, there are no recorded cases of those injured or left without housing among them.
