The UN Refugee Agency (UNHCR) has facilitated the selection of 100 beneficiaries of protection who will now embark on a new life in Germany.
The group left Malta today as part of the EUREMA pilot project which aims to provide solutions in other EU Members States for 255 individuals who were granted status in Malta. Participating countries include France, Germany, Luxembourg, Hungary, Poland, Portugal, Slovenia, Slovakia, Romania and the United Kingdom.
In Malta the project is jointly implemented by the Ministry of Justice & Home Affairs, IOM, UNHCR and the Emigrant’s Commission. The relocation to Germany is the largest yet, following the departure of 92 individuals to France in July this year.
UNHCR Malta is responsible for the identification and initial screening of potential candidates for relocation to the respective participating countries. The assessment process is based on individual needs and agreed selection criteria. It is the receiving countries that take the final decision about who to accept for relocation.
The recent departures to European countries complement the ongoing resettlement programme from Malta to the United States, which has so far resulted in some 500 departures from Malta. This number is expected to increase significantly over the next 12 months. In the coming days another 44 individuals will leave for the United States.
Jon Hoisaeter, UNHCR Representative in Malta, commends the contribution made by Germany and the other countries participating in the project: “The relocation from Malta is an example of European responsibility-sharing in practice.”
The EU still needs to develop effective mechanisms to address imbalances in terms of arrivals of asylum-seekers; the EUREMA project is an encouraging step towards further solidarity between Member States – Mr. Hoisaeter said.
“UNHCR is confident that the relocation from Malta will not only benefit those who are given the possibility to start a new life elsewhere, but also facilitate Malta’s effort to improve the situation for those who remain here.”
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