At a World Refugee event in Liepaja, Latvia locals and refugees celebrated midsummer together and sang Latvian and Ukrainian songs. The event was organized by RRP partner “Shelter “Safe House””.
RIGA Today, the Latvian chapter of the Regional Refugee Response Plan for the Ukrainian refugees is being launched in Riga.
As we approach the two years’ mark since the full-scale invasion began, millions of Ukrainians, both in Ukraine and across the region, continue to need support. The majority of them hope to return home, but just 14 per cent plan to do so in the next three months.
Recognizing the lead role of the Governments, the refugee response plan, which is coordinated by UNHCR, brings together the collective efforts of local, national and international civil society and international organizations. For the activities in Latvia, the humanitarian community is seeking US$ 9.7 million to reach 50,000 refugees with assistance. The RRP covers activities from January to December 2024 and outlines the key strategic priorities that humanitarian actors will pursue to assist refugees living in Latvia
“Latvia has been very generous and extended protection and assistance on par with its nationals to the Ukrainian refugees. As UNHCR we commend Latvia for this, recognizing the efforts done by so many civil servants and organizations who used their creativity and expertise to help. As in any refugee situation many vulnerable refugees still need help. Through the RRP we hope to give refugees opportunities to build their talents to prepare them for eventual voluntary return when the situation allows,” says UNHCR’s Representative in the Nordic and Baltic Countries, Annika Sandlund.
In 2023, RRP partners in Latvia reached 23,300 Ukrainian refugees with support and protection services, providing them with information and assistance so they could be included in national systems. This assistance included food assistance, winter clothing, hygiene kits and non-food items, cash, and humanitarian transport.
“The Ministry of the Interior expresses gratitude to UNHCR for their efforts in assisting Ukrainian civilians who have sought refuge in Latvia, and for drawing the attention of the international community to the necessary support for Ukraine as a whole,” the State Secretary of the Latvian Ministry of the Interior, Dimitrijs Trofimovs, says. “As the responsible institution, the Ministry of the Interior has been coordinating assistance to Ukrainian refugees from the very beginning. This year, the Latvian government has allocated 70 million euros in support of Ukrainians, and this assistance will continue in the future. Additionally, the Interior Services regularly provides assistance by sending vehicles and other necessary technical equipment to Ukraine. We will support the Ukrainian people for as long as it is necessary.”
In 2023, the US, EU, Norway, Germany, and Sweden contributed with important financial support to RRP partners to assist refugees from Ukraine in the region. “This year we extend our funding call to the private sector in Latvia to contribute with their expertise and financial support, especially to NGOs and to refugee led organizations. We need to invest in the human capital of the refugees which can benefit Latvia today and Ukraine tomorrow,” states Annika Sandlund.
The RRP serves as an effective channel for more predictable and equitable responsibility-sharing, to ease the pressure on the host community and foster social cohesion while overall complementing and supporting the government-led responses. However, participating in the plan or appealing through it does not guarantee funding. The RRP is a coordination mechanism, aimed at ensuring complementarity of action with the government response, responding to the needs on the ground as evidenced through multi-sector needs analyses. The RRP provides the government as well as donors with an overview of who-does-what-where, the totality of funds needed, and an outline of the main activities of all partners. By appealing in the RRP, agencies working on the response coordinate with each other and support the government-led efforts. The government is in charge of the overall response.
Click here to read more about the RRO and UNHCR’s work in Latvia.
Share on Facebook Share on Twitter
