It’s urgent to revive refugee resettlement efforts now

Caritas Europa and six major NGOs (International Rescue Committee, European Council on Refugees and Exiles, International Catholic Migration Commission, Churches’ Commission for Migrants in Europe, SHARE network and the Red Cross EU Office)  have launched a joint statement urging the EU to urgently kick-start and increase its refugee resettlement efforts, which were paused due to COVID-19.

Resettlement is one of the few safe, legal pathways available for vulnerable refugees to reach the EU from third countries such as Lebanon, Libya and Uganda. In 2019, more than 21,000 refugees were resettled in the EU. However, travel restrictions due to COVID brought resettlement to a standstill for several months this year. Since the start of the pandemic more than 10,000 refugees have had their departures to the EU cancelled. Despite resettlement programmes slowly restarting, global resettlement efforts are reportedly still at a record low.

The protection needs are huge: 1,45 million refugees worldwide have been identified by UNHCR as particularly vulnerable and in need of resettlement. The pandemic should not be used as an excuse by EU states to delay the implementation of their commitment to bring 30,000 of these people to safety in the EU this year. Global solidarity and responsibility is needed now more than ever.”

Maria Nyman, Secretary General of Caritas Europa

We are calling for the EU and Member States to fulfil their pledges to take in some of the world’s most vulnerable, as well as:

• Meet their commitment to resettle 30,000 refugees in 2020, and increase this to at least 35,000 in 2021.
• Work in partnership with countries of asylum, civil society, welcoming communities and refugees themselves.
• Seize the opportunity presented by the Pact on Migration and Asylum, to be launched on Wednesday, to frame resettlement and other safe, legal avenues to protection as a priority for the EU.