Comunicate de presă

Chisinau, Moldova, 20 September 2022: – Italy, and UNHCR, the UN Refugee Agency, today handed over various equipment to the Ministry of Internal Affairs of the Republic of Moldova (MIA) to support the government’s response to the refugee emergency from Ukraine. Since the start of the refugee crisis in Ukraine due to the ongoing armed conflict, the Ministry of Internal Affairs has mobilized its workforce, to ensure the efficient, safe and humane management of the massive refugee inflows. It has adjusted its legislative framework to ensure border crossing points operate non-stop with maximum use of its infrastructure. Furthermore, the government with the support of UNHCR and the international community is taking firm steps toward enacting temporary protection measures for refugees. An act that will ensure a legal and safe stay of displaced people seeking safety in the country. Ensuring safe and dignified crossing of refugees to our territory is a commitment that we honour” said Ana Revenco, the Minister of Internal Affairs of the Republic of Moldova. “The support of our international friends such as Italy and UNHCR add to our effort to improve our capacity and preparedness to respond when needed”. The donated equipment which includes vehicles, power generators, computers, and office equipment will be used by the Ministry of Internal Affairs to strengthen their mobility and increase their monitoring capacity. With a contribution of over USD10M, Italy supports the refugee response in Moldova in addition to boosting the government’s social protection capacity for the benefit of displaced people and local communities as well. “Since the beginning of the ongoing war, Italy has been supporting Moldova, both financially and in kind, in its efficient management of the Refugees flow from Ukraine”. Said Lorenzo Tomassoni, The Ambassador of Italy in Moldova. “I commend the people of Moldova for their hospitality and Moldovan Institutions, starting with Border Police, for their sense of duty. We are very satisfied with our cooperation with the UNHCR, which is making the best out of our 10 million euros funding. It’s not only the vehicles donated today to the Ministry of Internal Affairs, nor the monthly cash assistance provided to over 80.000 Refugees. I am also referring to the crucial expertise that is helping Moldova to rapidly shape its legislation on Temporary Protection in compliance with EU standards, thus contributing to the strategic goal of EU accession.” UNHCR is bolstering its capacity in Moldova, extending international support to the refugees, and providing much-needed humanitarian supplies through the government of the Republic of Moldova. “Italy is amongst UNHCR’s top donors in Moldova,”, said Francesca Bonelli, the UNHCR Representative in the Republic of Moldova. “We are thankful for the generous support provided to the government and people of Moldova who exhibited remarkable hospitality for refugees since the start of the crisis.” As of 15 September, over 608,694 refugees from Ukraine entered Moldova. The majority have moved on to other European countries, with some 90,655 still generously hosted in the country.

World Refugee Day was marked on Tuesday in Chisinau with an art exhibition and a concert given by several artists from Moldova and Ukraine. Among the performers were Pasha Parfeni and Adrian Ursu from Moldova and  saxophonist Igor Znatokov and singer Olga Gornyh from Ukraine. Olesya Shevchenko, the wife of His Excellency the Ambassador of Ukraine to Moldova, gave an enthralling performance in Romanian,  sending a message of gratitude to the Moldovans for hosting  Ukrainians in their time of need.

The event was organised by the UN Refugee Agency (UNHCR) at the National Museum of History and brought together Ministers, Ambassadors, heads of UN and international agencies  as well as Ukrainians fleeing the war who have found safety in Moldova. Among them was Anastasia Ciorninkaia, who spoke about the suffering her compatriots have gone through and thanked Moldovans for their hospitality: „We were living in our homes, we were safe, drinking tea, making plans for the future, but one day at 5 am we heard an explosion, a terrible sound that changed our lives forever”, Anastasia said, adding, “Thousands of us left our homes and crossed the border into Moldova. You met us at border, fed us, sheltered us. I promise from this stage that I will pass on to the next generations how you helped us!”.

Francesca Bonelli, UNHCR representative in Moldova, also expressed her gratitude to the people and government of the Republic of Moldova, donors, humanitarian partners and all others who helped respond to the refugee crisis. “In my few months in the Republic of Moldova, I have witnessed the great hospitality Moldovans have accorded to refugees. And I discovered that this is rooted in the CASA MARE tradition which reserves the best room in the house for guests,” Ms. Bonelli appealed for increased international support for refugees and the local population.

The event was also attended by Marcel Spatari Minister of Labour and Social Protection and Jana Costachi, State Secretary of the Ministry of Internal Affairs. The two senior officials commended the efforts of all those involved in responding to the refugee crisis. „The greatest credit goes not to the Ministry, not to the Government, but to the community and volunteers. Today, more than 95% of refugees are hosted by Moldovan families or have found housing on their own. We can have the best ministers, the best development partners, the best action plans, but we won’t achieve anything if we don’t have the most important thing of all – Peace!” Mr. Spatari said.

The head of the Joint Refugee Crisis Management Cell, Colonel Adrian Efros, said that since February more than half a million Ukrainian refugees have transited through Moldova and more than 80 thousand were still in the country, half of them children.

According to Colonel Efros, more than 100 Ukrainian babies were born in the Republic of Moldova since February and more than 6,000 children have been enrolled in schools.

World Refugee Day was first celebrated on 20 June 2001 and was created by the United Nations to honour refugees around the world. Each year, the event celebrates the strength and courage of people who have been forced to leave their homeland to stay alive because of conflicts or persecution. While it is important to protect and improve the lives of refugees every day, World Refugee Day helps focus global attention on the plight of these people and creates opportunities to support them. Currently, more than 85 thousand refugees are in the Republic of Moldova, including more than 80,000 Ukrainians and more than 3,700 people from other nationalities.

For further information, please contact:

Kisut Gebreegziabher

Communicatios Officer & Spokesperson

UNHCR Moldova
Mobile: +37367722468

WhatsApp: +254712856340

Chisinau, Republic of Moldova: -The UN Refugee Agency’s Goodwill Ambassador and Japanese artist MIYAVI concluded his three-day visit to the Republic of Moldova with a call for increased international support to Ukrainian refugees and Moldovan families who have welcomed them with open arms.

The renowned musician, actor and philanthropist visited three centres accommodating refugees and listened to their stories. He toured facilities providing key services to refugees, including UNHCR’s cash enrolment centre   where refugees have been issued with pre-paid cards of $US120 per person per month.

“I’m saddened, impressed and mesmerized by the stories of challenge, resilience and hope that the refugees have shared with me”, MIYAVI said, adding “My mission as the UNHCR Goodwill Ambassador is to share these stories with the rest of the world and appeal for increased support for Moldova, a small country with a big heart, so that it can continue to support the refugees.”

Mr.Sergiu Odainic, General State Secretary of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs and European Integration, briefed him about the support that Moldova has been extending to refugees and the gaps that need to be filled.  MIYAVI said that he was captivated by the overwhelming solidarity Moldovans have shown to refugees which he described as “a great example.” He reiterated his resolve to advocate on behalf of Moldova and the refugees under its care.

The star guitarist later met with UNHCR’s national and international partners, including a local NGO – Moldova for Peace which mobilized thousands of volunteers and mounted a spontaneous response at the onset of the refugee crisis. With UNHCR’s support, the NGO is setting up a community center providing safe space and services to vulnerable refugee women.

The highlight of his visit was a music session with children from Moldova as well as from Ukraine, Syria, Turkey and Iran who played violin, guitar and piano, sang and danced with him, brining much needed smiles to their faces.

Francesca Bonelli, the UNHCR Representative in the Republic of Moldova, thanked MIYAVI for visiting Moldova to see the situation for himself and to advocate on behalf of refugees and Moldovans. “I am incredibly impressed by MIYAVI’s capacity to using the power of music to advocate for refugees and help mobilize more support for Moldova”.

By allowing over 500,000 refugees to enter the country, Moldova has received one of the highest number of refugees per 10,000 inhabitants in the region. More than 86,000 of them are still in the country, mostly accommodated by Moldovan families.

UNHCR, the government of Moldova and 40 organizations have recently launched an inter-agency response plan appealing for USD $414.2 million to help refugees and vulnerable Moldovan host families until the end of the year. To date, only 27% of the financial requirements have been met.

For further information, please contact:

Kisut Gebreegziabher

Communicatios Officer & Spokesperson

UNHCR Moldova
Mobile: +37367722468

WhatsApp: +254712856340

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 a 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 until the end of the year. Since 24 February, more than 475,000 refugees have entered Moldova and over 90,000 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

Twitter │ Facebook │

Chișinău, Moldova, 12 aprilie 2022: UNHCR, Agenția ONU pentru Refugiați, a predat astăzi 21 de vehicule de teren Ministerului Afacerilor Interne (MAI) al Republicii Moldova pentru a susține răspunsul Guvernului la criza refugiaților din Ucraina.

În valoare de peste jumătate de milion de dolari SUA, vehiculele vor fi folosite de poliția de frontieră a Republicii Moldova pentru a consolida mobilitatea și a crește capacitatea de monitorizare.

De la declanșarea crizei refugiaților din Ucraina, din cauza conflictului armat în derulare, Poliția de Frontieră a Moldovei a mobilizat circa 1.500 de angajați, pentru asigurarea securității frontierei de stat, dar și pentru gestionarea eficientă a fluxurilor masive de refugiați. A făcut ajustări în cadrul său legislativ pentru a se asigura că punctele de trecere ale frontierei funcționează non-stop cu utilizarea maximă a infrastructurii lor.

„Guvernul și-a îmbunătățit semnificativ capacitatea de a fluediza trecerea frontierei și a facilitat intrarea în țară a peste 400.000 de noi veniți din Ucraina în doar șase săptămâni”, a declarat Francesca Bonelli, Reprezentanta UNHCR în Republica Moldova. „Credem că aceste vehicule vor spori și mai mult mobilitatea poliției de frontieră între diferitele puncte de trecere a frontierei pentru a facilita traversarea în continuare a frontierei din partea Ucrainei.”

„Vă mulțumim pentru sprijinul oferit MAI și refugiaților care vin în Moldova, fugind de război. Această donație ne va consolida capacitatea de a monitoriza mai eficient securitatea frontierei. Ne aflăm într-o perioadă dificilă, plină de provocări zilnice, dar prin eforturi comune reușim să asigurăm securitatea cetățenilor”, a menționat Ana Revenco, ministra Afacerilor Interne a Republicii Moldova.

UNHCR își întărește capacitatea în Moldova, extinde sprijinul internațional pentru refugiați și furnizează proviziile umanitare atât de necesare, în colaborare cu Guvernul Republicii Moldova.

La 11 aprilie, peste 413.000 de refugiați din Ucraina au intrat în Republica Moldova. Majoritatea au plecat în țări europene, aproximativ 96.000 de ucraineni sunt încă găzduiți cu generozitate în Moldova.

La încheierea unei vizite de o săptămână în România și Republica Moldova, Raouf Mazou și-a exprimat aprecierea pentru solidaritatea remarcabilă manifestată în ambele țări față de oamenii care fug din Ucraina.

„În ultimele zile, am fost martorul direct al generozității care a caracterizat până acum răspunsul la sosirea refugiaților din Ucraina”, a declarat Mazou la încheierea vizitei sale. „Trebuie să ne exprimăm cu toții aprecierea profundă față de guvernele și oamenii atât din România, cât și din Republica Moldova, pentru că și-au deschis inimile și casele față de cei aflați în nevoie, în aceste momente foarte dificile.”

În cadrul unei întâlniri cu primul ministru Nicolae Ciucă în România, Înaltul Comisar Asistent a lăudat răspunsul de urgență robust la frontiere și în interiorul țării, care a primit până în prezent aproximativ 650.000 de refugiați. El a recunoscut acțiunile rapide întreprinse de Guvernul României pentru a asigura accesul la drepturi și servicii prin intermediul protecției temporare, precum și coordonarea puternică a răspunsului național general de către Centrul National de Conducere si Coordonare a Intervențiilot (CNCCI).

Autoritățile naționale au asigurat accesul rapid la teritoriu, la asistență și la transportul ulterior în condiții de siguranță. Vizitând punctele albastre (Blue Dots) comune UNHCR-UNICEF de la Isaccea și Siret, Mazou a fost martor la coordonarea dintre ONG-urile naționale și autorități, care furnizează informații și identifică refugiații vulnerabili, inclusiv copiii neînsoțiți și separați, în vederea trimiterii către structurile de protecție.

Pe 7 aprilie, Mazou a observat punctul de trecere a frontierei de la Palanca, unul dintre cele mai aglomerate puncte de trecere a frontierei dinspre Ucraina către Moldova. La începutul săptămânii, în timp ce se afla în România, el a vizitat Centrul de Tranzit din Huși, în care au fost transferați peste 7.000 de refugiați veniți de la Palanca, ca urmare a cooperării strânse între cele două guverne și cu sprijinul UNHCR, Agenției ONU pentru Refugiați și al Organizației Internaționale pentru Migrație.

De la începutul conflictului, peste 400.000 de refugiați au trecut în Moldova. Zeci de mii de persoane au fost ajutate să călătorească mai departe spre alte țări, inclusiv prin promisiunile făcute de țările UE de a primi refugiați din Moldova. „Angajamentele făcute de țările europene de a transfera refugiații din Moldova pe teritoriul lor reprezintă un efort de a împărți responsabilitatea și de a ușura presiunea asupra țărilor de primire, așa cum se subliniază în Pactul Global pentru Refugiați”, a declarat Mazou.

De asemenea, Mazou a vizitat MoldExpo din Chișinău, care funcționează ca o facilitate de cazare, un punct albastru și un centru de înscriere în numerar. Înscrierile pentru asistenta financiară în Moldova sunt în creștere rapidă de la lansarea programului la sfârșitul lunii martie. În colaborare cu Guvernul și cu Programul Alimentar Mondial, obiectivul este de a oferi numerar la aproximativ 150.000 de persoane, precum și familiilor gazdă din Moldova care și-au deschis casele pentru refugiații care fug din Ucraina.

Necesitatea de a consolida sistemele naționale existente pentru a le permite să răspundă nevoilor refugiaților și ale comunităților gazdă este esențială, în special având în vedere amploarea acestei crize, după cum s-a discutat cu Sergiu Odainic, Secretarul General al Ministerului Afacerilor Externe și Integrării Europene al Republicii Moldova. După o perioadă inițială de trei luni, refugiații ar trebui să poată avea acces la mecanismele naționale de sprijin, evitându-se astfel necesitatea unor sisteme paralele.

„Mobilizarea și solidaritatea întregii societăți pe care am văzut-o în timpul vizitei mele – de la guvern la societatea civilă și la voluntari – a fost cu adevărat uimitoare. Trebuie să ne asigurăm că aceasta ajunge la toți refugiații, indiferent de locul de unde fug”, a declarat Mazou.

Media contacts:

• În România, Gabriela Leu, [email protected], +40 722 212097
• În Moldova, Kisut Gebre Egziabher, [email protected], +37 367 722 468, Whatsapp: +254 712 856 340
• În Geneva, Matthew Saltmarsh, [email protected], +41 79 967 99 36