The Sudan Humanitarian Fund (SHF) is a cost-effective way to support humanitarian action in Sudan. Under the direction of the Humanitarian Coordinator (HC), the SHF aims to support the timely allocation and disbursement of donor resources to the most critical humanitarian needs as defined by the Humanitarian Response Plan (HRP) or any agreed upon strategy by the HC. The SHF provides funding to international and national non–governmental organizations and UN agencies. The SHF receives voluntary donor contributions and supports humanitarian response year–round.

MOROTO, 30 March 2017 – The Irish Government has provided €7.2 million – about Ush 27.5 billion - to the United Nations Children’s Fund (UNICEF) to support the Ministry of Education and Sports to improve quality education for the most vulnerable children and adolescent girls across the Karamoja region.

The Irish Aid-supported programme will target almost 150,000 children in schools in Karamoja (76,606 boys and 57,834 girls from 283 primary schools and 6,716 boys and 4,891 girls in 23 secondary schools) - with a special focus on children at risk of dropping out of school and children with disabilities and special learning needs.

“This contribution from Ireland is critical in improving the skills and future of young people in Karamoja,” the Irish Ambassador, Dónal Cronin, said. “Education is key to the region’s development and this support, to be implemented by our partner UNICEF, is part of our ongoing efforts to empower some of the most vulnerable communities in Uganda.”

Children in the Karamoja region experience multiple vulnerabilities. Approximately 82 per cent of all 6 to 17 year old children in Karamoja are living in poverty and are deprived of at least two or more basic services.

For example, the average rates for primary school completion and transition to secondary school are 14 per cent and 25 per cent in Karamoja compared to the national average of 67 per cent and 70 per cent respectively.

The persistent challenges of low enrolment, poor quality education, teacher absenteeism, and the absence of flexible alternative education opportunities to meet needs mean that dropout rates remain a problem in Karamoja. In some communities, education is not given much value and children, especially girls, are subjected to child marriages, female genital mutilation, child trafficking and child labour.

The Irish support will therefore focus on enhancing teacher effectiveness; strengthening school management; assessing and monitoring learning outcomes; addressing issues of violence in schools; strengthening girls’ education; and promoting peacebuilding and conflict-sensitive education. The support will also address cultural and social practices that continue to undermine inclusive and quality learning.

The five year programme aims to reduce gender gaps in enrolment and completion; improve learning outcomes in basic education; increase the transition of students from primary school to secondary school; and increase awareness within families and communities on the importance of investing in education for both girls and boys.

“This support from the people of Ireland will help thousands of children to stay in school and have a higher quality education, especially adolescent girls who have a critical role in transforming the living conditions of their families and communities in the future," said Ms. Aida Girma, UNICEF Representative in Uganda.

"Given every additional year in school can increase that child’s future income by up to 10 per cent, this programme will greatly improve the futures of thousands of children as well as the Karamoja region as a whole.”

Ireland has supported improved education access and quality in the Karamoja sub-region for many years now, including most recently the rehabilitation of 21 primary schools across all seven districts. In addition to this support to UNICEF, Irish Aid also provided €150,000 to UNICEF to enhance gender equality in access to services and opportunities in the education sector in ten districts of Busoga region and seven districts of Karamoja.

About the Irish Embassy

The Embassy of Ireland is implementing the Government of Ireland’s official aid programme in Uganda, Irish Aid. This programme (€80m from 2016-20) supports Uganda’s National Development Plan (NDP) in the areas of education, social protection, HIV prevention and governance, with a particular focus on Karamoja.

About UNICEF

UNICEF promotes the rights and wellbeing of every child, in everything we do. Together with our partners, we work in 190 countries and territories to translate that commitment into practical action, focusing special effort on reaching the most vulnerable and excluded children, to the benefit of all children, everywhere.

For more information, please contact:
Dónal Cronin, Ambassador, Embassy of Ireland, +256 772 744402, donal.cronin@dfa.ie

Catherine Ntabadde Makumbi, Communication Specialist, UNICEF Uganda, +256 772 629567, +256 703 729567, cntabadde@unicef.org

HIGHLIGHTS

• New corridor for the delivery of humanitarian aid to Bentiu,
South Sudan, from Sudan.

• 8,000 people, who fled their homes in East Darfur due to inter-communal violence, have arrived in El Lait, North Darfur.

• 68% of households in Sudan have access to improved water sources.

• Ireland donates €3 million (US$3.3 million) to the Sudan Humanitarian Fund (SHF).

FIGURES 201 7 HRP

# people in need in Sudan (2017 HNO) 4.8 million

# people in need in Darfur (2017 HNO) 3 million

GAM caseload (2017 HNO) 2.2 million

South Sudanese refugee arrivals in Sudan - since 15 Dec 2013 (registered by UNHCR) - as of 15 March 2017 351,000

Refugees of other nationalities (registered by UNHCR) - as of 31 Oct 2016 140,626

FUNDING

566.8 million US$ received in 2016

58.3% Reported funding (as of 26 March 2017)

New aid corridor from El Obeid, Sudan to Bentiu in South Sudan

On 26 March, the Government of Sudan announced the opening of a new humanitarian corridor for humanitarian assistance to be delivered by the World Food Programme (WFP) from El Obeid in central Sudan to Bentiu, a town in Unity State, South Sudan, where 100,000 people are enduring famine amid a deepening humanitarian crisis across the country. The new northern corridor will ensure that food assistance rapidly reaches vulnerable communities in South Sudan before the onset of the rainy season.
WFP will be moving an initial delivery of 11,000 metric tonnes (MT) of sorghum— including 1,000 MT donated by the Government of Sudan—in seven convoys of 30 to 40 trucks, which is enough to feed 300,000 people for three months. The convoys will take up to one week to complete the 500km journey.
The first convoy will transport 1,200 MT of sorghum in 27 trucks by early April. The humanitarian corridor will not only allow for the timely delivery of food aid, but will also help reduce reliance on air operations, which cost six to seven times as much as moving food by river and road. Meanwhile, WFP continues to use the existing corridor in Kosti, White Nile State, to reach people in need in Renk, South Sudan. Since November 2014, WFP has delivered 57,900 MT to over 200,000 people in Renk, of which 3,490 MT was delivered in 2017.
At least 7.5 million people across South Sudan—almost two thirds of the population— need humanitarian assistance. Sudan is currently hosting over 350,000 South Sudanese refugees, who have arrived since the conflict erupted in December 2013.

WFP and the US support food insecure people in Sudan and South Sudan

On 20 March, WFP said in a statement that two US ships docked in Port Sudan and over 47,880 MT of sorghum was unloaded, over 20,000 MT of which will be transported through Sudan into South Sudan. In March and April, more ships will arrive from the US with an additional 47,500 MT of sorghum, 5,000 MT of lentils and 1,700 MT of vegetable oil, destined to provide assistance to South Sudanese refugees and internally displaced persons (IDPs) in Sudan.

In 2017, WFP plans to assist more than 4.4 million vulnerable people in Sudan—IDPs, refugees, climate-affected populations, and host communities—through a range of activities, including emergency food aid, cash-based transfers, nutritional support, and resilience-building activities to help communities become independent.

HIGHLIGHTS

• New corridor for the delivery of humanitarian aid to Bentiu,
South Sudan, from Sudan.

• 8,000 people, who fled their homes in East Darfur due to inter-communal violence, have arrived in El Lait, North Darfur.

• 68% of households in Sudan have access to improved water sources.

• Ireland donates €3 million (US$3.3 million) to the Sudan Humanitarian Fund (SHF).

FIGURES 201 7 HRP

# people in need in Sudan (2017 HNO) 4.8 million

# people in need in Darfur (2017 HNO) 3 million

GAM caseload (2017 HNO) 2.2 million

South Sudanese refugee arrivals in Sudan - since 15 Dec 2013 (registered by UNHCR) - as of 15 March 2017 351,000

Refugees of other nationalities (registered by UNHCR) - as of 31 Oct 2016 140,626

FUNDING

566.8 million US$ received in 2016

58.3% Reported funding (as of 26 March 2017)

New aid corridor from El Obeid, Sudan to Bentiu in South Sudan

On 26 March, the Government of Sudan announced the opening of a new humanitarian corridor for humanitarian assistance to be delivered by the World Food Programme (WFP) from El Obeid in central Sudan to Bentiu, a town in Unity State, South Sudan, where 100,000 people are enduring famine amid a deepening humanitarian crisis across the country. The new northern corridor will ensure that food assistance rapidly reaches vulnerable communities in South Sudan before the onset of the rainy season.
WFP will be moving an initial delivery of 11,000 metric tonnes (MT) of sorghum— including 1,000 MT donated by the Government of Sudan—in seven convoys of 30 to 40 trucks, which is enough to feed 300,000 people for three months. The convoys will take up to one week to complete the 500km journey.
The first convoy will transport 1,200 MT of sorghum in 27 trucks by early April. The humanitarian corridor will not only allow for the timely delivery of food aid, but will also help reduce reliance on air operations, which cost six to seven times as much as moving food by river and road. Meanwhile, WFP continues to use the existing corridor in Kosti, White Nile State, to reach people in need in Renk, South Sudan. Since November 2014, WFP has delivered 57,900 MT to over 200,000 people in Renk, of which 3,490 MT was delivered in 2017.
At least 7.5 million people across South Sudan—almost two thirds of the population— need humanitarian assistance. Sudan is currently hosting over 350,000 South Sudanese refugees, who have arrived since the conflict erupted in December 2013.

WFP and the US support food insecure people in Sudan and South Sudan

On 20 March, WFP said in a statement that two US ships docked in Port Sudan and over 47,880 MT of sorghum was unloaded, over 20,000 MT of which will be transported through Sudan into South Sudan. In March and April, more ships will arrive from the US with an additional 47,500 MT of sorghum, 5,000 MT of lentils and 1,700 MT of vegetable oil, destined to provide assistance to South Sudanese refugees and internally displaced persons (IDPs) in Sudan.

In 2017, WFP plans to assist more than 4.4 million vulnerable people in Sudan—IDPs, refugees, climate-affected populations, and host communities—through a range of activities, including emergency food aid, cash-based transfers, nutritional support, and resilience-building activities to help communities become independent.

The ECDC Communicable Disease Threats Report (CDTR) is a weekly bulletin for epidemiologists and health professionals on active public health threats. This issue covers the period 2-8 April 2017 and includes updates on influenza, MDR TB and Measles.

- Airlift of 100 tonnes of humanitarian relief supplies dispatched to Somalia

Minister of Foreign Affairs and Trade, Charlie Flanagan T.D., and Minister of State for the Diaspora and International Development, Joe McHugh T.D., announced that Ireland has today (Wednesday) dispatched over 100 tonnes of humanitarian relief supplies to Somalia.

Announcing the airlift, Minister Flanagan said:

“I am deeply concerned that over 6 million people in Somalia are now in need of urgent humanitarian assistance. Almost 3 million people are facing crisis and emergency levels of food insecurity and there is a very real and significant risk that the situation will further deteriorate to famine, causing starvation and death. This is simply unacceptable in our world of plenty.

“In Somalia today there are worrying similarities to the conditions that led to the worst famine of the 21st century when, in 2011, three-quarters of a million Somali people faced famine and more than a quarter million lives were lost. A massive and urgent scale up of assistance by the international community is required to avoid a similar catastrophe this year. Acting now will save lives.

“Over 400,000 people have been displaced in the country over the last six month because of prolonged drought, loss of livelihoods and acute hunger. They are congregating in informal settlements with nothing, arriving with only what they can carry. Most have walked long distances to reach these camps in hope that they will receive some assistance. Ireland’s donation of emergency supplies that we are announcing today will help to meet the immediate needs of up to 4,000 displaced families.”

“Today Ireland will dispatch an airlift, worth over €600,000, from the UN Humanitarian Response Depot in Dubai, where Irish Aid pre-positions relief supplies for use in emergencies and humanitarian crises under Ireland’s Rapid Response Initiative.

“The relief supplies, including blankets, jerry cans, cooking sets, family hygiene kits, tarpaulins and solar lamps, will arrive in two loads into Mogadishu today (Wednesday) and Friday, and will be distributed by Concern Worldwide to 4,000 vulnerable families displaced by drought and acute hunger to informal settlements located outside of Mogadishu and Baidoa, and in the Afgoyee Corridor, north-west of Mogadishu.

“Last month, Ireland also announced new funding of €11 million to humanitarian crises in the Horn of Africa region, €3 million of which was contributed to the UN-managed Somalia Humanitarian Fund to help our partners to provide life-saving assistance to those most in need and at risk of famine in the country.”

Minister McHugh added:

“Severe drought conditions continue in many parts of Somalia following poor and erratic rains over the last two years. In the worst affected areas, poor rainfall has destroyed crops and killed livestock, and communities are being forced to sell their assets, and borrow food, to survive.

“If the forthcoming rainy season from April to June is as poor as is currently forecast, this hunger crisis will worsen and further displacement will occur. The situation for children is especially grave with over 360,000 Somali children under the age of five now acutely malnourished.

“Urgent action is required to provide emergency shelter and basic services for families that have been forced to move. Ireland is responding quickly through one of our trusted NGO partners. We will continue to monitor the situation closely.”

ENDS

Notes to the Editor:

• Irish Aid is the Government’s overseas assistance programme. It is managed by the Development Cooperation Division of the Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade. For further information see www.irishaid.ie

• Somalia has been gripped by drought and racked by conflict for over twenty years. The country is currently ranked as the most fragile state in the world. Al Shabaab’s insurgency, coupled with inter-clan fighting and a severe prolonged drought has caused large-scale displacement, widespread food insecurity and rising acute malnutrition rates.

• 6.2 million people are now in need of humanitarian assistance, representing more than half of the population. Over 2 million Somalis are displaced, some for nearly two decades. This includes 1.1 million internally displaced and it is projected that this number will increase to 3 million by June 2017. There are now over 900,000 Somali refugees in neighbouring countries, half of whom are children.

• The UN’s 2017 inter-agency Humanitarian Response Plan for Somalia is now appealing for USD$863.5 million to reach 3.9 million people in greatest need this year. It is currently only 37% funded.

• Ireland has provided €31 million in humanitarian assistance to our UN and NGO partners in Somalia since 2012 to date. So far in 2017, €3.28 million in humanitarian assistance has been provided, and €5.93 million was provided in 2016.

• Ireland’s humanitarian assistance has been focused on saving lives and alleviating the suffering of the Somali people including through emergency food and livelihoods assistance, treating acute malnutrition, providing shelter and protection, and providing emergency services in health care, water & sanitation and education.

• Over half of Ireland’s €31 million in funding to the Somalia crisis since 2012 has been directed to the Somalia Humanitarian Fund. Almost €19 million was provided by Ireland to this Fund since 2012. The Fund pools donor contributions and allocates funding through an in-country consultative process to a broad range of partners, including UN organisations and national and international NGOs, to meet critical humanitarian needs in the country.

• Earlier this year, the UN’s Central Emergency Response Fund (CERF) allocated USD$18 million to UN organisations’ programmes in Somalia, focusing on the needs of 500,000 people experiencing severe drought conditions in Puntland, Somaliland and South Central Somalia through the provision of nutrition services, food assistance, shelter, and water and hygiene services. Ireland is a long-standing supporter of the CERF, and is among the top eight contributors. We contributed €13 million to CERF in 2017 and €12.75 million in 2016.

• As part of Ireland’s Rapid Response Initiative, Irish Aid pre-positions emergency and humanitarian relief items around the world. We stockpile in UN Humanitarian Response Depots (UNHRD) which are strategically located near disaster and crisis prone areas - in Accra (Ghana), Brindisi (Italy), Dubai (UAE), Panama City (Panama) and Subang (Malaysia).

• Last year Irish Aid airlifted 357 tonnes of emergency relief supplies to families affected by drought and flooding in Ethiopia, to families affected by conflict, violence and displacement in the Central African Republic, South Sudan, Iraq, Niger and Nigeria, and, most recently, to families affected by Hurricane Matthew in Haiti. This airlift into Somalia is Ireland’s first of 2017.

The camp in Grande-Synthe near Dunkirk was destroyed this week after a fire broke out, injuring at least 10 people. The destruction of the camp, which hosted between 1,000 and 1,500 people, many arriving after the dismantlement of the Calais camp last year, comes as another reminder of the persisting challenges faced by those seeking to access the asylum procedure in France.

According to the recently published OFPRA annual report, France was the third top destination of asylum seekers in Europe last year, with a total 85,726 asylum applications registered in addition to more than 20,000 cases placed under the Dublin procedure to be transferred to other countries. Most claims continue to be registered in Paris and the surrounding region of Ile-de-France.

Severe obstacles hindering access to the asylum procedure have been linked to “silent deterrence tactics” on the part of French authorities across the country, to prevent increases in the number of applications submitted in the country. These often take the form of serious delays in registering applications at the Prefectures’ “single desks”, reaching up to 30 days in Paris, 45 days in Lyon or even 60 days in Seine Saint Denis. Further, despite the opening of 8,703 new asylum accommodation places, the national reception system remains insufficient, with many people left with nowhere to sleep. Media reports that the Dunkirk camp had been increasingly overcrowded since the closure of the Calais makeshift camp. Outright deterrence is however also proactively pursued. In the _département_ of Alpes-Maritimes, new entrants are pushed back to the Italian border without having the opportunity to submit an asylum application. This practice is in clear contradiction with France’s legal obligations to register asylum applications or to follow the rules of the Dublin procedure when another country is considered responsible. A recent ruling of the Administrative Tribunal of Nice recalled these duties and sanctioned the refusal of the Prefecture of Alpes-Maritimes to register the claims of persons entering from Italy as a severe and manifest violation of the right to asylum.

Disregard of the Dublin rules in such cases is also at odds with France’s commitment to a rigorous implementation of the Dublin system. The French Prefectures issued a total 25,963 outgoing requests in 2016, more than doubling the number of requests sent during the previous year (11,657). These figures confirm France as one of the main operators of the Regulation across Europe, far ahead of Switzerland, Sweden and Italy. However, despite the French eagerness to request Dublin transfers just 293 were in fact carried, making up less than 5% of the total number of requests sent to other countries. The majority of Dublin requests (3,955) and transfers (235) originated from the _département_ of Pas-de-Calais.

For further information:

• OFPRA, Rapport d’activité 2016, 7 April 2017
• Cimade, Application du règlement « Dublin » en France en 2016, 7 April 2017
• AIDA, The Dublin system in 2016: Key figures from selected European countries, March 2017
• AIDA, Country Report France, 2016 Update, February 2017

For severe crises in Yemen and Iraq

The Minister for Foreign Affairs and Trade, Charlie Flanagan T.D. and Minister of State for the Diaspora and International Development, Joe McHugh T.D. have today (Saturday) announced €6 million in support for the severe humanitarian crises in Yemen and in Iraq.

Ireland will provide €4 million to the UN Humanitarian Pooled Fund in Yemen in response to the needs of nearly 19 million Yemeni – two thirds of the population – affected by two years of civil war. In February this year, the UN appealed for $2.1billion to avert famine for 12 million people, over 7 million of whom did not know where their next meal was coming from. Ireland is now responding to this call for assistance.

Minister Flanagan said:

‘The scale of humanitarian need in the world today is unprecedented and with the severe situation in Syria in the world headlines, crises like that in Yemen are in danger of being forgotten. The UN has warned that Yemen is on the brink of famine - a famine caused, not by natural disaster or drought, but by conflict. It is crucial that the international community works together to alleviate the suffering of the people of Yemen through humanitarian assistance and working to support a peaceful solution to the conflict.’

Minister of State McHugh added:

‘The people of Yemen have suffered tremendously since the beginning of the conflict in 2015 and the ongoing fighting threatens to cut off millions of people from vital supplies of food and medicine. Their situation is critical and they need help urgently. The Yemen Humanitarian Pooled Fund can mobilise resources to UN agencies and NGOs on the ground to meet their needs quickly and effectively.’

In addition, €2 million will be provided to the Iraq Humanitarian Pooled Fund in response to the needs of almost 11 million Iraqi people who have been affected by the violence and conflict linked to the takeover of Iraqi territory by ISIL, and the counter-insurgency operation launched by the Iraqi Government and its allied forces. This pooled fund is managed by UNOCHA, who will disburse the funding to meet critical humanitarian needs in Iraq.

Minister Flanagan today said:

‘Displaced from their homes in difficult conditions; no access to clean water and proper sanitation; children unable to attend school for long periods - these are all realities facing millions of people in Iraq today. Our humanitarian assistance will provide help to some of those in need, including people who continue to be affected by the ongoing fighting in Mosul’

Minister of State McHugh added:

‘Ireland’s funding to the Iraq Humanitarian Pooled Fund will provide assistance to people affected by the crisis in Iraq including families and children, who are often the worst affected by conflict. Providing funding through Pooled Funds means that the most urgent needs can be met quickly, be they for food, shelter, health or protection for the most vulnerable.’

Ireland has pledged to contribute at least €4 million in humanitarian assistance to the people of Yemen for 2017, at a high-level pledging conference in Geneva on April 25th. The pledge will bring Ireland’s humanitarian support to Yemen to more than €11 million since 2012, with a steep increase in support since the escalation of violence in 2015.

Yemen is now experiencing one of the most severe humanitarian crises in the world, with the UN estimating that over two-thirds of the population (18.8 million people) require urgent, life-saving assistance. 14 million people are currently struggling to feed themselves, with 2 million in such a critical condition that they are considered to be on the brink of famine.

This humanitarian catastrophe was caused by civil war, which has raged for over two years and has involved armed interventions by a number of countries. As Yemen was already suffering from poverty, weak governance and drought before the outbreak of conflict, the ongoing violence has had a devastating effect on the civilian population. All parties to the conflict appear to have violated international human rights law, and ongoing air strikes and fighting continue to kill civilians, damage infrastructure, and prevent the delivery of much-needed humanitarian assistance.

Minister of State for the Diaspora and International Development, Joe McHugh T.D., represented Ireland at the conference and explained Ireland’s position:

“I am attending the pledging event today as a mark of the solidarity of the people of Ireland with the people of Yemen. The Yemen conflict is a reflection of wider tensions in the region, but it is the Yemeni people who are suffering. The humanitarian situation in the country is deteriorating by the day. The Irish Government has consistently and repeatedly made clear our concerns regarding the humanitarian situation, which we have raised with counterparts in the region, along with our concerns at the high number of civilian casualties. I urge the international community to work towards finding an end to the conflict and the enormous suffering it has caused.”

Ireland’s pledge of €4 million to theUN’s Yemen Humanitarian Pooled Fund will ensure that organisations working on the ground can respond rapidly to the deteriorating humanitarian crisis, whether that involves providing food and shelter, or ensuring that women and the vulnerable are protected. This latest pledge is in addition to the funding Ireland has already provided through other funding avenues like the UN Central Emergency Response Fund and the EU. UNCERF regularly responds to “forgotten crises” across the world, including the dire situation in Yemen. In the last two years, it has provided almost $60 million to help vulnerable Yemeni civilians affected by the conflict. Ireland also provides annual contributions to the EU development budget and since 2015 the EU has provided €120 million in humanitarian aid to Yemen. 

Alongside the crucial importance of delivering humanitarian aid to the affected population, it is essential that a sustainable political solution is reached which brings the conflict to an end. As a result of the conflict’s impact, the economy has almost entirely collapsed and humanitarian aid is regularly blocked from reaching communities in need. In light of these facts, Minister McHugh urged all warring parties to return to negotiations and find an agreement to end the war:

“We cannot afford to stand by and let this downward spiral continue. I urge all parties to this conflict, as well as those with influence in the region, to accept the UN Special Envoy’s invitation to return to the negotiating table for a peace settlement.”

Read the full Press Release.

Key figures (Oct 2015 - 12 Apr 2017)
- 5,001 persons relocated
- 10,659 places pledged
- 34,953 target

In the first three months of 2017, over 24,000 refugees and migrants arrived in Italy by sea. Over 900 of them are potential relocation candidates. Since the adoption of the September 2015 EU Council decisions on relocation, over 26,000 potential relocation candidates reached Italian shores. Furthermore, more people are staying in Italy than in previous years, also due to increased border controls in the northern areas.

According to the latest Eurostat data on decisions, candidates eligible for relocation include citizens of Syria, Eritrea, Yemen, Antigua and Barbuda, Bahrain, British overseas countries and territories, Grenada, and Guatemala. Nationals of Burundi, Maldives, Oman and Qatar do not longer meet the 75% eligibility threshold while Iraq and the Central African Republic (CAR) remain among the non-eligible nationalities. Nationals of Burundi were eligible for relocation between March 2016 and 8 July 2016; they were again eligible candidates from September 2016 to March 2017.

Since September 2015, 5,001 asylum-seekers (14% of the 34,953 target) were relocated from Italy to 18 European countries. While some participating States have showed greater commitment towards relocation, the number of pledges made available continues to be inadequate and implementation remains slow and challenging. UNHCR calls on States to increase pledges, including for unaccompanied and separated children and to speed up the registration and transfers of candidates. In addition, the eligibility threshold should be lowered to include other nationalities. Effective relocation is crucial to increasing solidarity and responsibility sharing in Europe, and ensuring the better management of movements, including helping to address irregular secondary movement and reliance on smuggler networks.

Highlights

• From January until the end of March 2017, 276,238 children, under the age of five years, have been screened for acute malnutrition, of which 19,151 children with severe acute malnutrition were admitted to nutrition treatment programmes.

• UNICEF, in partnership with CARE, has built 26 Tarp-a-tents as temporary learning spaces (TLS) benefiting 2,600 children affected by Tropical Cyclone Dineo which made landfall in Inhambane.

• In March, UNICEF received a contribution of US $400,173 from the Central Emergency Response Fund (CERF) to support the education interventions impacted by Cyclone Dineo.

• The Governments of Ireland and Italy contributed a combined total of US $426,912 to support cyclone recovery interventions in the sectors of health, water and sanitation and education in Inhambane.

Situation in Numbers

795,000 Children affected by drought

160,000 Students affected by Cyclone Dineo

2,100,000 People food insecure (IPC Phase 3) (SETSAN December 2016)

145,040 People targeted by UNICEF WASH

189,000 Children targeted by UNICEF Nutrition and Health interventions

55,000 Children targeted by Education and Protection interventions

Situation Overview & Humanitarian Needs

The seasonal year 2016/2017 was atypical for Mozambique. It was characterized by an El Niño-induced drought, floods in some parts of the southern and central regions of the country, a cyclone making landfall in Inhambane, conflict driven internally displaced persons (IDPs) in Manica and Sofala, and cholera outbreaks throughout the country. All of these issues required coordinated multi-sectoral interventions with strong leadership from UNICEF. Although officially the emergency season in Mozambique (October-to March), ended in March and coincided with the rainy/cyclone season, there are still clear humanitarian and recovery needs to be addressed, particularly in the context of IDPs, Education, Health and WASH.

The cholera outbreak in Maputo, Nampula and Tete provinces is practically under control. There are however reports of an increased influx of returnees from Malawi and Zimbabwe into Tete and Manica provinces. In response, UNICEF is participating jointly in an IOM-led displacement tracking matrix (DTM) exercise in Manica to monitor the implementation progress of UNICEF supported interventions to IDPs and to assess evolving needs.

Belgium - The UN Migration Agency’s (IOM) office in Greece reports that, as of 30 April 2017, over 12,000 asylum seekers have been relocated from Greece to other European Union (EU) Member and Associated States.

The total through the end of April was 12,496 asylum seekers who have been relocated from Greece since the launch of the EU Relocation Scheme in October 2015, continuing a clear upward trend.

This year through the end of April, IOM has assisted the relocation of 5,216 people – a 35 percent increase over the previous four months from September to December 2016, when 3,848 were relocated. The 5,216 relocated through April this year is six times more than in the same period last year (January to April 2016), when some 794 beneficiaries were relocated.

France tops the list of European countries having received most the asylum seekers from Greece with 3,080 people relocated there since the programme’s launch. Germany is second (2,423), followed by the Netherlands (1,211), Portugal (969) and Finland (780). These five countries alone have received almost 70 percent of the overall number of beneficiaries relocated from Greece under scheme.

Data from the end of April 2017 shows that most of the beneficiaries were Syrians (10,296), followed by Iraqis (1,718) and Eritreans (134). Of the 12,496 people relocated, 5,525 were women and 6,971 were men.

According to IOM Greece, actual pledges made by Member States of Relocation (MSRs) to receive asylum seekers from Greece under the programme have also been increasing since the start of 2017. Those increases are 20,917 pledges in April from 15,132 in January.

Relocation requests made by the Greek Asylum Service to MSRs mirrored this trend, with a sharp increase from 15,004 requests in January to 20,837 in April 2017 (See Chart 1).

Daniel Esdras, Chief of IOM’s Mission in Greece, expressed satisfaction with the level of relocations being achieved today.

“Coordination between all partners and Member States has been very good. I believe that by the end of the programme in October 2017, we will manage to reach approximately 25,000 relocations from Greece,” he said.

Crucially, 252 unaccompanied and separated children have also been relocated through the programme from Greece. Finland has received most of them (108), followed by the Netherlands and Spain (26 each), Luxembourg (21) and Norway (20). Ireland, Belgium, Germany, Switzerland and Portugal have also taken a number of unaccompanied and separated children.

The data was presented yesterday (11 May) by IOM Greece – which is implementing the relocation scheme from Greece – at a joint press conference in Athens with the Ministry of Migration Policy and the Greek Asylum Service.

“We should not underestimate the figures achieved and the operational part of the programme. 12,500 relocations means better lives for 12,500 refugees. 12,500 relocations means 12 less accommodation sites in Greece,” said Ioannis Mouzalas, Greek Minister for Migration Policy, at the press event.

The EU Relocation programme is an essential part of the EU’s response to the migrant and refugee situation in the Mediterranean. This is being implemented by the UN Migration Agency (IOM) in close cooperation with Greek authorities and other agencies, and with the continuing support from the European Commission, EU Member and Associated States, the UN Refugee agency (UNHCR), European Asylum Support Office (EASO) and other partners.

To help the beneficiaries with initial reception and integration in their new communities, IOM runs pre-departure orientation sessions, which provide useful information on their rights and responsibilities, as well as on initial post-arrival reception and early integration assistance.

Ilham, a teacher from Syria, told IOM about her dreams for a new life with her family in Germany.

“I dream about living with my family in a proper house, all by ourselves. Certainly, I will need to get a job, as I am very energetic. My daughter needs to get back to school and continue with her education. And of course, I dream of a beautiful life for my boy. He needs to sleep in peace, he has never slept in a calm environment in his short life. I dream of the day that I will be able to buy new clothes for all of us; there is so much I want to do,” she said.

Vulnerable beneficiaries, including unaccompanied children, pregnant women, new-born babies and asylum seekers with medical needs, are given additional support and care through specialized services, including best interest assessments for minors and follow-up assistance for persons with medical conditions. IOM also provides medical escorts, as well as escorts for unaccompanied minors or large groups, to assist them during their travel.

Interpreters and cultural mediators are in close contact with beneficiaries throughout the relocation process, to ensure that they understand the procedures and can communicate any concerns or questions in a language they understand. IOM staff are also present at airports to provide assistance during boarding and departure as well as reception assistance at transit airports and final destinations.

For updated statistics on EU relocations, please visit: http://migration.iom.int/europe

More information on IOM and the EU Relocation Programme can be found at: http://eea.iom.int/index.php/what-we-do/eu-relocation

Portraits of EU Relocation: https://greece.iom.int/en/photos-and-videos and https://greece.iom.int/en/migrants-stories

For further information, please contact the IOM Regional Office in Brussels: Jo De Backer, Tel: +32 2 287 71 15, Email: jdebacker@iom.int; or Ryan Schroeder, Tel: +32 2 287 71 16, Email: rschroeder@iom.int; Besim Ajeti at IOM Athens, Tel: +30 210 9919040 Ext. 121, Email: bajeti@iom.int; or Flavio Di Giacomo at IOM Rome, Tel: +39 347 089 8996, Email: fdigiacomo@iom.int

Highlights

According to available data, there have been 46,015 new arrivals to Greece, Italy, Bulgaria, Cyprus and Spain between 1 January and 30 April 2017.

Until 30 April 2017, there were estimated 37,248 cumulative arrivals to Italy, compared to 27,926 arrivals recorded at the end of the same month in 2016 (33% increase). Contrary to that, Greece has seen a 96% lower number of arrivals by the end April 2017 when compared to the same period 2016 (5,742 and 156,551 respectively).

At the end of April, total number of migrants and refugees stranded in Greece, Cyprus and in the Western Balkans reached 73,900. Since the implementation of the EU-Turkey Statement on 18 March 2016, the number of migrants stranded in Greece increased by 45%. More information could be found on page 5.

Between October 2015 and 30 April 2017, 17,909 individuals have been relocated to 24 European countries. Please see page on relocations for more information.

In the first four months of 2017, total of 1,093 migrants and refugees were readmitted from Greece to Turkey as part of the EU-Turkey Statement.
The majority of migrants and refugees were Pakistani, Syrian, Algerian,
Afghan, and Bangladeshi nationals (more info in Turkey section).

More information about Central Mediterranean and the contingency countries in the Western Balkans is available on pages 35 and 36.

Ireland’s comprehensive response to refugees shows a level of commitment that is urgently needed from all countries, said Volker Türk, UNHCR’s Assistant High Commissioner for Protection, in Dublin today (Tuesday June 6).

Speaking at the Institute of International and European Affairs, Mr Türk said that Ireland’s willingness to engage internationally on refugee issues, co-leading the process that led to the New York declaration, conducting search and rescue activities in the Mediterranean, and increasing commitments to resettlement should serve as an example to other countries grappling with how to respond to the growing numbers of people forced to flee their homes because of war and persecution.

“Refugees are an international responsibility, and all countries need to share this equitably” said Mr Türk. “The Irish people have a long history of advocating strongly for the fundamental rights of all human beings, and they carry into the present and future a firm belief in the power of moral force to move mountains.”

As co-chair of the UN Refugee and Migrant process last year, Ireland was an instrumental force in the adoption of the New York Declaration for Refugees and Migrants by 193 countries. It has also been a powerful voice for the implementation of the 2013 Sustainable Development Agenda, which calls for leaving no one, including refugees, behind.

In the afternoon, Mr Türk met Tánaiste and Minister for Justice and Equality Frances Fitzgerald, and Minister Stanton, where they discussed recent progress on reforms of the protection system in Ireland as well as UNHCR priorities for forthcoming discussions at EU level on reform of the Common European Asylum System.

Mr. Türk stated, “Ireland’s international engagement shows the power of all countries, no matter their size, to affect real change. In practical terms, Ireland has not been found wanting - it is supporting those developing and middle income countries hosting the majority of the world’s refugees. It is also providing opportunities for some of the most vulnerable refugees to be resettled out of precarious situations so they build a future for themselves and their families. Ireland is now resettling 520 refugees a year, a figure we strongly encourage the authorities to maintain into the future.”

Mr Türk said that much progress has been made in Ireland since the visit of the former High Commissioner for Refugees, and current Secretary General of the United Nations, António Guterres in 2012. Recognition rates of refugees had returned to European Union averages, while crucial reforms of asylum legislation and decreases in average processing times showed that change is possible with the right levels of political commitment.

He added, however, that in light of recent limitations introduced on family reunification, it will be important for Ireland to consider new pathways for refugees to find safety, including through private sponsorship schemes.

“There are those who argue that the conditions of refugees living far away are not our concern, or our duty. However Ireland’s history of flight and migration put it in a unique position to remind the world that refugees are an international responsibility, and all countries need to share this equitably. “

Overview

In 2016, 18,175 refugees were resettled1 to 20 countries in Europe2, a 63% increase compared to 2015.

Between 2000 and 2016, Europe’s proportion of resettlement globally has increased from approximately 5% to more than 10%. However, in Europe as a whole in 2016, only 25 refugees were resettled per million inhabitants.3 In contrast, the United States of America, Canada and Australia combined resettled 445 refugees per million inhabitants, 18 times higher than Europe (these three countries also accounted for 90% of resettlement globally in 2016).

The vast majority of refugees resettled in Europe in 2016 are from Syria (14,705 or 81%), followed by the Democratic Republic of the Congo, Afghanistan, Eritrea and Somalia (850 or 5%, 485 or 3%, 405 or 2%, 390 or 2% respectively). In total, 93% of refugees resettled in Europe in 2016 originate from one of these five countries. Contrary to the protracted refugee situations noted above, the resettlement of Syrians only commenced in 2013, increasing significantly in scale in 2016.

The countries in Europe admitting the most refugees via resettlement in 2016 were the UK, Norway, Sweden, France, Germany, Italy and Finland (5,180 or 29%, 3,290 or 18%, 1,890 or 10%, 1,420 or 8%, 1,240 or 7%, 1,045 or 6% and 945 or 5% respectively) and in total comprise 83% of the resettlement admissions to Europe.

Half of those individuals resettled in Europe in 2016 were children,4 with the remainder predominately young adults (less than 35 years old). Just over half (51%) of those resettled are male.4 The demographics of all commonly resettled nationalities remain very similar, with two exceptions: a slightly greater percentage of adult Eritreans (62%), and a slightly greater percentage of female Afghans (60%), were resettled.

This week, Ireland is dispatching over 100 tonnes of humanitarian supplies to Uganda to help refugees from South Sudan, who have been forced to flee their homes by continuing conflict, violence and acute hunger. Two airlifts will fly supplies, including tarpaulins for shelter, blankets, cooking sets, and mosquito nets, to Entebbe in Uganda for distribution to refugee camps hosting South Sudanese refugees. South Sudan has been wracked by conflict since December 2013, and is now one of the most severe humanitarian crises in the world with nearly 2 out of 3 people of its total population of 12 million in need of humanitarian assistance and protection. In the last four years, 2 million people have been internally displaced in the country, and 1.9 million people have fled as refugees to neighbouring countries. People continue to flee the country in vast numbers, and it is young people who have been most impacted by the crisis, with two-thirds of South Sudanese refugees under the age of 18.

In response to this human suffering Ireland has played its part. We have been actively supporting those affected by this crisis, both in South Sudan and in neighbouring countries where many have sought refuge from fighting. Since 2012, Ireland has supplied €46 million in assistance and last year, Ireland’s support amounted to €11 million.  So far this year, Ireland has already provided €8 million. Through our Rapid Response Initiative, Ireland is able to react with great speed to evolving humanitarian crises, by prepositioning stocks of humanitarian supplies in various United Nations Humanitarian Response Depots, managed by the World Food Programme. In 2016, this allowed Irish Aid to airlift 357 tonnes of emergency relief supplies to families and communities in Ethiopia, the Central African Republic, South Sudan, Iraq, Niger and Nigeria, and to families affected by Hurricane Matthew in Haiti. This year,  102 tonnes were airlifted into Somalia in April and 34 tonnes were airlifted into South Sudan last month, for distribution to people affected by drought, hunger and conflict. 

Announcing the latest airlifts to South Sudan, Minister Flanagan reflected on the tragic impact of the conflict on South Sudanese civilians,

“I am deeply concerned by the high levels of population displacement both internally and to neighbouring countries, with one in four people now driven from their homes. It is an immense tragedy that 1.9 million people have been forced to flee South Sudan as refugees since the end of 2013.” 

Minister Flanagan further noted that the root causes of the humanitarian crisis in South Sudan must be addressed to ensure that the current crisis is resolved and that future generations enjoy a stable and prosperous future. In this vein, Minister Flanagan called on the Government of South Sudan and the international community to redouble their efforts to stop the violence,

“The Government of South Sudan, countries in the region and the international community must step up efforts to end the cycle of protracted conflict and violence that is driving displacement in and from South Sudan. Ireland, together with our EU and UN partners, will continue to work for a peaceful resolution to the conflict.”  

In the joint announcement of the airlifts, Minister of State McHugh took the opportunity to highlight the positive role being played by neighbouring countries, especially Uganda’s liberal refugee policy, in the face of such immense human needs and in the context of limited resources,

“Uganda is now hosting the largest refugee population in Africa, hosting 930,000 South Sudanese refugees, as well as around 300,000 refugees of other nationalities. I saw first-hand the mammoth scale of needs among refugees when I visited Adjumani in northern Uganda last year. Many arrived with only what they could carry. The international community must work harder to meet the immediate and longer term needs of refugees in Uganda and elsewhere.

“Our assistance to this crisis needs to be commensurate with the solidarity shown by the Ugandan and other host Governments in the region whose resources are increasingly overstretched and depleted.  Ireland commends the Government of Uganda’s open-door and progressive refugee policy.”

On 22-23 June, Ireland will participate in the Uganda Solidarity Summit on Refugees, co-hosted by the UN and the Ugandan Government. This will present the international community with the opportunity to pledge more support to Uganda in its efforts to accommodate the huge influx of vulnerable people and ensure their dignity is respected and their human needs are met. Minister of State McHugh vowed,

“Ireland will continue to do what it can to support the Government of Uganda in our diplomatic relations and through our aid programme.” 

Highlights

According to available data, there have been 72,377 new arrivals to Greece,
Italy, Bulgaria, Cyprus and Spain between 1 January and 31 May 2017.

Until 31 May 2017, there were estimated 60,228 cumulative arrivals to Italy, compared to 47,851 arrivals recorded at the end of the same month in 2016 (26% increase). Contrary to that, Greece has seen a 95% lower number of arrivals by the end May 2017 when compared to the same period 2016 (8,025 and 158,461 respectively).

At the end of May, total number of migrants and refugees stranded in Greece, Cyprus and in the Western Balkans reached 72,799. Since the implementation of the EU-Turkey Statement on 18 March 2016, the number of migrants stranded in Greece increased by 55%. More information could be found on page 5.

Between October 2015 and 31 May 2017, 20,289 individuals have been relocated to 24 European countries. Please see page on relocationsfor more information.

In the first four months of 2017, total of 1,191 migrants and refugees were readmitted from Greece to Turkey as part of the EU-Turkey Statement. The majority of migrants and refugees were Pakistani, Syrian, Algerian, Afghan, and Bangladeshi nationals (more info in Turkey section).

More information about Central Mediterranean and the contingency countries in the Western Balkans is available on pages 35 and 36.