“UNHCR’s new winter plan anticipates that there could be up to 5,000 arrivals per day from Turkey between November 2015 and February 2016,” the agency said in a press release.
The Winterization Plan for the Refugee Crisis in Europe focuses on putting in place measures to support affected countries such as Croatia, Greece, Serbia, Slovenia and the Former Yugoslav Republic of Macedonia, in order to avert the risk of humanitarian tragedy and loss of life during the winter months, according to the agency.
UNHCR said it will work on preparing, adapting and upgrading existing shelter and reception facilities for winter and supplying emergency shelters such as family tents, refugee housing units and Rubb halls equipped with heating.
Winter clothing and blankets, as well as other essential items for protecting people from the elements, will be included in the aid packages to be distributed to individuals with specific needs, it said.
The refugee agency said it will also work to ensure that water supply systems and sanitation facilities do not freeze and provide adequate heated structures for toilets, showers, wash basins and laundry facilities.
And because there remain long stretches of roads that refugees and migrants may have to walk, “should government authorities or other partners not be in a position to provide alternative arrangements, as an interim measure, UNHCR said it will consider providing transportation to reception centres to expedite access by refugees and asylum-seekers to assistance and protection services.”
“Harsh weather conditions in the region are likely to exacerbate the suffering of the thousands of refugees and migrants landing in Greece and travelling through the Balkans, and may result in further loss of life if adequate measures are not taken urgently,” UNHCR said.
The $96.15 million appeal brings UNHCR’s total supplementary requirements to $172,724,529.
un.org
5/11/15
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Germany has unveiled plans to speed up the asylum process, after the governing coalition resolved a rift on the issue...
ReplyDeleteChancellor Angela Merkel said they would create up to five special centres for asylum-seekers deemed to have little chance of staying.
Mrs Merkel's Christian Democrats and junior coalition partners the Social Democrats have quarrelled for weeks over the issue.
Germany says it expects to receive at least 800,000 asylum seekers this year.
Earlier, the European Commission said that three million migrants were likely to arrive in Europe by the end of 2017.
The huge influx of asylum seekers has caused political turmoil across the EU with member states disagreeing about how to deal with the crisis.
"We took a good and important step forward," said Mrs Merkel, whose open-door refugee policy has come in for strong criticism in Germany...........http://www.bbc.com/news/world-europe-34742268
6/11/15