Guyanese stranded in Dubai due to Mideast conflict, gov’t says providing assistance

Last Updated on Thursday, 5 March 2026, 22:53 by Denis Chabrol

In wake of the conflict in the Middle East sparked by the United States and Israel’s attack on Iran, at least 10 Guyanese are stranded in Dubai, United Arab Emirates (UAE) after travelling there late last month for a wedding, according to a member of the group, but foreign affairs minister Hugh Todd on Thursday said assistance was being provided to the group.

Ms Shelly Fraser, a member of the group, told Demerara Waves Online News that they arrived on February 26 and were due to leave on March 3.

One of the persons lives in the United States (US).

Mr Todd said since the group reached out to Guyana’s Ambassador to Qatar, Safraz Shahood on Tuesday, the government had been providing subsistence and lodging. “Because of the situation, we provided meals and accommodation,” he told Demerara Waves Online News.

With airline tickets steadily soaring from US$2,035 to US$2,500 per person, the group is desperately seeking the Guyana government’s support to pay the airfares to leave either for New York or London.

The foreign minister, reacting, said the trip to the UAE was a private one but the government would be willing to talk with the group. “We will have to give consideration but these are private citizens who have left but, of course, they are Guyanese. They left Guyana and we expect them to return home safely,” he said.

Mr Todd said the Guyanese envoy in Qatar was in contact with the group every day. 

“It’s more like a humanitarian situation for us and we’ll do what we have to do…We are expecting them to leave on Saturday. If there’s a situation of an increase in fares, then we will have to have a conversation with them, bearing in mind that it is a private travel,” he said.

Ms Fraser said they were told that Gulf Airlines would depart on March 7 but since then they have been informed that that flight had been cancelled.

Efforts by the group to locate the airline’s office have so far been unsuccessful. “We are not getting anybody,” Ms Fraser said, adding that they hope to continue searching for the office the next day. 

She said the security situation in the UAE was very tense. “Everybody is very scared and very worried. First of all, people were hearing bombs and buildings were shaking,” she said. “Some people were crying.”

Iran has been staging retaliatory strikes against Bahrain, UAE, Qatar, and Kuwait in response to Israel and the US’ air bombardment on Iran.

The US had said its strikes were aimed at crushing Iran’s quest to develop nuclear weapons and remove what it deemed the terrorist-led government.