RRP partners meeting at Palatul Republicii in Chisinau, launching the refugee response plan lasting until December 2022
Moldova-Chisinau,-In response to the Ukrainian refugee crisis, the Government of the Republic of Moldova, UNHCR, the UN Refugee Agency, the UN family in Moldova, and partners today launched the Inter-Agency Regional Refugee Response Plan (RRP) for Moldova, appealing for sustained financial support to help refugees and Moldovan families generously hosting them.
A key objective of the response plan is to provide coordinated support to government-led efforts to address the protection and lifesaving needs of refugees and third-country nationals (TCNs) who fled the war in Ukraine. This will include the facilitation of appropriate solutions and support to vulnerable host communities.
UNHCR and partners are seeking USD $414.2 million to support a projected 1 million refugees that could potentially arrive in the Republic of Moldova by the end of the year. Since 24 February, more than 475,000 refugees have entered Moldova and over 90,000 of them, including TCNs, are currently in the country requiring mid to long-term support and solutions.
The RRP focuses on key sectors, including protection, basic needs, health and nutrition, education, livelihoods and inclusion, logistics, supply, and telecoms. Transitional cash assistance, which has already been provided to more than 54,000 refugees and 10,500 host families, is a key priority in providing dignified assistance to both communities.
“The government remains steadfast in its commitment to keep its borders open for all those fleeing the war in Ukraine and to facilitate border crossing and reception”, said Colonel Adrian Efros, head of the Government’s Single Crisis Management Centre. “But our capacity is overstretched, and we count on the international community to increase its support so that we can be more capacitated to continue to help refugees and vulnerable host communities”.
The plan is launched in the context of the continued fighting, massive destruction of civil infrastructure, and displacement inside Ukraine. One-third of the country’s population has been displaced, including 8 million people within the country and some 6.6 million refugee crossings to neighboring countries.
Francesca Bonelli, UNHCR Representative in the Republic of Moldova, thanked the people and the government of Moldova for their continued support and outstanding hospitality to refugees. “A significant part of the inter-agency response will be geared to support the Government’s response capacity as well as Moldovan communities and people that have given tremendous support in terms of hosting, providing emergency support and food to arriving refugees”, she said, adding that the vulnerability of refugees is increasing and that nearly all of them need humanitarian assistance.
The promotion of resilience, livelihoods, and socioeconomic inclusion of refugees is a key aspect of the plan including through the upgrade of local services, provision of socioeconomic integration support, job placement services, information, vocational training, validation, and certification of skills, as well as in-kind micro-grants for self-employment and small businesses.
Under the leadership of the government, the RRP brings together the efforts of 40 organizations including UN agencies, national and international NGOs, faith-based institutions, and civil society. To date, 27% of the RRP is funded, but more support is needed.
For additional information, please contact:
Kisut Gebreegziabher
Communicatios Officer & Spokesperson
UNHCR Moldova
Mobile: +37367722468
WhatsApp: +254712856340
Data portal – Moldova inter-agency response
https://data2.unhcr.org/en/country/mda
UNHCR Help Page: https://bit.ly/3tSmk3G
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