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UN refugee agency welcomes starting of EU relocation program

Xinhua, October 9, 2015 Adjust font size:

UN refugee agency UNHCR on Friday welcomed the departure of a first group of asylum-seekers from Italy under the EU relocation scheme, saying the relocations are an important step toward stabilizing the refugee crisis in Europe.

The group of 19 asylum-seekers, including five women, all Eritrean nationals, left from Ciampino Airport in Rome Friday morning. They had arrived by boat in Sicily over the last few weeks and were all screened in the Lampedusa reception center, where they agreed to be relocated to Sweden.

Officially starting the relocation plan from Italy, the departure of the group will be followed by other departures early next week.

Altogether some 160,000 people from Italy and Greece will be relocated to EU countries as being agreed by the EU Council.

A UNHCR spokesperson said Friday morning at a press briefing here that the role of UNHCR in the EU's relocation scheme includes cooperation with the European Commission and EU agencies, the national authorities and other partners on providing information and counselling on the relocation procedure throughout the process.

There is also an oversight role at the interview stage to ensure people with specific needs are prioritized, including children who are unaccompanied or separated from their families, the spokesperson said.

"The relocation plan, although limited compared with the present needs, will hopefully contribute to managing the refugee flow into Europe through solidarity among EU Member States," the UNHCR spokesperson noted.

According to UNHCR, the relocation plan "can only work if, at entry points in Europe, robust facilities are created to receive, assist, register and screen asylum seekers and migrants."

"To build trust among EU Member States, all arrivals in Europe should be fully registered and fingerprinted, not only those participating in the relocation program," the spokesperson added.

Latest UN figures show that so far in 2015, 526,797 refugees and migrants have crossed the Mediterranean to reach Europe, including some 132,000 who disembarked in Italy.

Tragically over 3,000 people have died at sea this year attempting to find safety in the EU. Endit