/news

We Must Act Now to Avert a Humanitarian Catastrophe in Eastern Chad: IOM DDG Ugochi Daniels | International Organization for Migration
▻https://www.iom.int/news/we-must-act-now-avert-humanitarian-catastrophe-eastern-chad-iom-ddg-ugochi-dani

https://www.iom.int/sites/g/files/tmzbdl486/files/styles/social_media/public/press_release/media/2023-07/capture.jpg?h=fb5cbe2f&itok=XwxZ7GB9

We Must Act Now to Avert a Humanitarian Catastrophe in Eastern Chad: IOM DDG Ugochi Daniels
Geneva/ N’Djamena – The window of opportunity to avert a humanitarian catastrophe in Eastern Chad is rapidly closing. As the situation in Sudan, and particularly in Darfur deteriorates, I have witnessed firsthand the severe impact this senseless violence has had on ordinary civilians here in Chad. 
The knock-on effects of the crisis in Sudan could have serious humanitarian implications on neighbouring countries particularly Chad which was already responding to a significant displacement crisis before this influx which was poorly resourced. I have heard stories of former teachers, nurses, and traders whose lives were upended by the fighting, who have had to return to Chad, and now need support to rebuild their lives. I appeal to the leaders of the Sudanese Armed Forces and the Rapid Support Forces to cease hostilities, restore calm, and begin a dialogue to resolve the crisis. 
IOM estimates that 20 per cent (45,000 persons) of the 225,000 people displaced into Chad are Chadian returnees and stranded migrants from South Sudan, Ethiopia, Nigeria, Uganda, Niger, and Uganda. While a few of them have been able to integrate into local communities, the majority live in extremely precarious conditions across 25 sites, including a high school in the border town of Adré.  The first responders to this humanitarian crisis were local community members who provided returnees with space to settle, blankets to shelter themselves and food. Despite their already limited resources, they have shown solidarity and generosity to their brothers and sisters in need. 
But today, as more people continue to arrive in Eastern Chad, local communities and authorities are reaching their breaking point.Since the beginning of the crisis in Sudan, IOM has been on the ground to support the Chadian Government’s efforts to respond to the situation. We are helping returnees meet some of their immediate needs through shelter, water trucking and unconditional cash assistance. We have also set up a humanitarian evacuation mechanism to enable stranded migrants to return home and reunite with their families.   But this is just a drop in this ocean of despair. The looming rainy season is already threatening to cut off entire communities, as rivers and wadis are filling with water, thus hindering the delivery of much-needed humanitarian aid.

#Covid-19#migrant#migration#tchad#deplaceinterne#conflit#crise#humanitaire#sante#soudan#ethiopie#nigeria#ouganda#niger#migrationretour#postcovid

27.11.2018
Migrant drowns in Reka river

Koper, 27 November - The #Ilirska_Bistrica police have apprehended a group of six illegal migrants on Tuesday morning, presumably coming from Algeria. One migrant reportedly drowned while crossing the Reka river (SW).

▻https://english.sta.si/2579139/migrant-drowns-in-reka-river

#Croatie #Slovénie #asile #migrations #réfugiés #frontière_sud-alpine #Alpes #montagne #décès #mort #Reka_river

–—

Ajouté à cette métaliste des morts à la frontière Slovénie-Croatie :
►https://seenthis.net/messages/811660

Elle-même ajouté à la métaliste des morts dans les Alpes :
►https://seenthis.net/messages/758646

International Migrants Day Statement, IOM Director General António Vitorino: “Harnessing the Potential of Human Mobility” | International Organization for Migration
▻https://www.iom.int/news/international-migrants-day-statement-iom-director-general-antonio-vitorino-harn

International Migrants Day Statement, IOM Director General António Vitorino: “Harnessing the Potential of Human Mobility”
Geneva – International Migrants Day this year falls almost exactly 70 years after the Brussels conference that led to the establishment of the International Organization for Migration.Over these seven decades we have provided assistance to millions of migrants worldwide and worked tirelessly with our member states to ensure migration is managed in a safe, orderly and dignified manner.As the Organization has evolved, so too has the face of human mobility.Beyond the images of closed borders, separated families and economic instability, the now two-year-old global pandemic has spawned a new wave of anti-migrant sentiment and the increasing instrumentalization of migrants as tools in state policy.
Both are unacceptable.So too is the relative impunity with which unscrupulous people smugglers operate along migration routes worldwide. The rule of law must be observed and action taken to combat those who exploit people at their most vulnerable. The response to COVID-19 has forcefully underlined the importance of migrant workers in keeping us all safe.The positive social and economic impact in the countries where they reside, and the USD 540 billion remitted last year to communities in lower and middle-income countries are measures of the industry, entrepreneurship and community from which we all benefit. But, in order to realize the full potential of human mobility, two things must happen.
Governments must move from words to action and include migrants regardless of their legal status, in their social and economic recovery plans.
And, we must renew our commitment to reinforcing legal channels for migration that balance and respect both national sovereignty and the human rights of people on the move. A comprehensive approach requires that we leave aside the defensive posturing that too often victimizes people along their migratory journeys. It requires our immediate collective efforts and commitment to create policies that maximize the potential of migration for all while ensuring the fundamental human rights of migrants are protected. The International Migration Review Forum in May will provide an opportunity to review progress on the implementation of the Global Compact for Safe, Orderly and Regular Migration, which provides a framework to address the challenges associated with migration, while strengthening the contribution of migrants and migration to human development.

#Covid-19#migrant#migration#sante#droit#protection#vulnerabilite#IOM#travailleurmigrant#economie#routemigratoire#inclusion

Deaths near Belarus-Poland border

▻https://www.iom.int/news/iom-and-unhcr-shocked-and-dismayed-deaths-near-belarus-poland-border

IOM to Portuguese EU Presidency: Reform of Migration Policy Key to Recovery | International Organization for Migration
▻https://www.iom.int/news/iom-portuguese-eu-presidency-reform-migration-policy-key-recovery
▻https://www.iom.int/sites/default/files/styles/highlights/public/press_release/media/six-month_rotating_presidency_of_the_council_of_the_european_union_eu.jpg?itok=

As 2021 begins with a promising COVID-19 vaccine in sight, the International Organization for Migration (IOM) encourages the Portuguese Presidency of the Council of the European Union (EU) to advance an ambitious, forward-looking reform of European migration policy that engenders recovery from the pandemic and long-term resilience. In recommendations to the Presidency released today (15/01), IOM outlines four targeted policy proposals that highlight well-managed human mobility and community-centred actions as key contributors to achieving a global, digital, safe and resilient Europe. “Our recommendations converge on the view that integrating migration and reimagining mobility across sectors – including health, climate, development and the digital agenda – can help us build back from the pandemic and strengthen our approach to the challenges on the horizon,” said António Vitorino, IOM Director General.
“It is cruxial – for migrants and societies alike – that the Presidency advances negotiations to realise the key principles of the Pact on Migration and Asylum put forward by the European Commission last September,” IOM’s Director General said.
Finding ways to facilitate human mobility and cross-border trade in a coordinated way will be essential to recovery from the COVID-19 engendered economic downturn. It will also enable migrants to continue to contribute to the longer-term, sustainable development of countries of origin and host countries alike. IOM, therefore, encourages the Portuguese Presidency to adapt immigration and border management schemes in a coordinated, health-sensitive and future-oriented way. The EU’s transformation towards a Digital Europe can spearhead the rollout of innovative digital tools that support migration processes, enhance security and protection of identity, and provide contactless passage that reduces sanitary risks. “Collectively investing in and coordinating global health security across borders and sectors will be key to ensuring that no country is disconnected from global human mobility in the future," stressed DG Vitorino.

#Covid-19#migrant#migration#ue#mobilite#sante#pandemie#politiquemigratoire#risquesanitaire#securite#iom

Migrant dies after van plunges into river in Croatia 25.08.2019

https://i.imgur.com/dShUDXj.png

A migrant died in Croatia after a van carrying 12 of them plunged into a river and police in North Macedonia discovered 30 migrants in an abandoned truck, developments that come as the Balkans refugee route that peaked a few years ago again sees an increased number of illegal border crossings.

The van crash happened near the Croatian border with Slovenia after the driver refused to stop at a checkpoint and was chased by a patrol. The driver, presumably a migrant smuggler, managed to get out of the sinking vehicle, fleeing into a nearby minefield. A search for him was ongoing, Croatian police said.

Police pulled the migrants from the sinking van in the Kupa River by breaking its windows, but a woman later died at a hospital.

Last week, Slovenia started erecting 40 kilometers (25 miles) of additional fences on its southern border with Croatia after a considerable increase in the number of migrants trying to illegally cross between the two European Union-member states.

Slovenian police said in July a total of 1,740 migrant crossings were detected, while 7,415 were recorded in the first seven months of this year— about a 50 percent increase compared to the same period last year.

Slovenia has already constructed about 180 kilometers (120 miles) of mostly barbed-wire fence with Croatia since 2015 when the Balkans route saw migrants fleeing wars and poverty in the Middle East, Asia and Africa, crossing the borders in the thousands a day.

Police in North Macedonia said they spotted an abandoned truck Saturday afternoon near the town of Strumica, which borders with Greece, and discovered 30 migrants — 24 Pakistanis, three Iraqis, two Syrians and one Sudan national.

The migrants are believed to have entered illegally from Greece and to have paid smugglers to take them north through Serbia toward Europe’s prosperous heartland. Police said they were taken to a camp near the southern town of Gevgelija pending deportation to Greece.

Police said they detained a total of 10,017 migrants who entered the country illegally in the first half of the year.

▻https://apnews.com/article/0ba8baa546914d2f83fce120820a63dc

–-> Nouvelle datant de août 2019, que je mets ici pour archivage.
Dans la légende la photo on parle du village de #Preloka, mais pas sûr que ça soit le lieu de décès de la dame.
Selon les recherches de Sarah B, ça serait #Slatina_Pokupska

#frontière_sud-alpine #montagne #mourir_aux_frontières #asile #migrations #réfugiés #décès #morts #frontières #frontières

Ajouté au fil de discussion :
Morts à la frontière #Croatie-#Slovénie
►https://seenthis.net/messages/811660

https://i.imgur.com/Gnmfk1H.png

With @ItalyMFA support; IOM has built a new police border post at the Assamaka border, equipped with the Migration Information and Data Analysis System (MIDAS). This project aims to reinforce the operational capacities of the Government of Niger on border management.

▻https://twitter.com/OIM_Niger/status/1326033475514855424
#IOM #Niger #contrôles_frontaliers #externalisation #asile #migrations #réfugiés #frontières #OIM #Assamaka #MIDAS #Migration_Information_and_Data_Analysis_System #poste-frontière

Localisation de Assamaka :

https://i.imgur.com/kZNb7v5.png

via @rhoumour (twitter)

ping @isskein @karine4

Immediate Action Required to Address Needs, Vulnerabilities of 2.75m Stranded Migrants | International Organization for Migration
▻https://www.iom.int/news/immediate-action-required-address-needs-vulnerabilities-275m-stranded-migrants
▻https://www.iom.int/sites/default/files/styles/highlights/public/press_release/media/stranded_pic_cropped.jpg?itok=AATtuTmQ

Effective international cooperation is urgently needed to address the circumstances of millions of migrants stranded worldwide due to mobility restrictions imposed to contain the spread of COVID-19, the International Organization for Migration said today. A three-month-long  COVID-19 Impact on Migrants effort by IOM’s Returns Task Force reveals for the first time the scope and complexities of the challenges facing governments and people on the move at a time when at least 2.75 million* migrants are stranded (13 July) worldwide. “The scope and subsequent enforcement of tens of thousands of mobility restrictions including border closures and nation-wide lockdowns related to COVID-19 requires states to reach out to their neighbours and to migrants’ countries of origin to address their needs and vulnerabilities,” said IOM Director General, António Vitorino.
“It should be clear that migrants can be returned home in a safe and dignified manner despite the constraints imposed by COVID-19. Where governments have taken action, tens of thousands of migrants have been able to return home in a manner that takes into consideration the significant health challenges the pandemic poses. Labour corridors have been re-opened, helping to reanimate economies in both source and destination countries and dampen the economic impact of the pandemic. These are all positive steps, but we must move now to replicate these good practices more widely.” 
For the purposes of the report, stranded migrants are defined as individuals outside of their country of habitual residence, wishing to return home but who are unable to do so due to mobility restrictions related to COVID-19. This snapshot, based on data collected from 382 locations in more than 101 countries, “is considered a large underestimation of the number of migrants stranded or otherwise impacted by COVID-19” the report states.
IOM has been tracking global mobility restrictions and their impact since early March. The most recent data reveals some 220 countries, territories and areas have imposed over 91,000 restrictions on movement. As a result of these global containment measures, IOM has received hundreds of requests to assist nearly 115,000 stranded migrants to safely and voluntarily return home.

Once stranded, some migrants are at a higher risk of abuse, exploitation and neglect. The loss of livelihoods can increase vulnerabilities and expose them to exploitation by criminal syndicates, human traffickers and others who take advantage of these situations. IOM has repeatedly called for migrants to be included in national COVID-19 response and recovery plans. Too often, however, they are excluded from or, due to their irregular status, unwilling to seek health and other social support services, a situation exacerbated by rising anti-migrant sentiment in some countries. “Migrants often face stigma, discrimination and xenophobic attacks but the extent to which social media in particular has served as an incubator and amplifier of hate speech is a deeply-troubling phenomena,” Director General Vitorino said. “The violence we have seen directed at migrants and other vulnerable people is inexcusable. It is essential to criminalize extreme forms of hate speech, including incitement to discrimination and violence, and to hold the perpetrators accountable.”

#Covid-19#migrant#migration#OIM#sante#vulneralbilite#santementale#violence#stigmatisation

Enhanced Solidarity Critical as COVID-19 Spreads in World’s Most Vulnerable Communities | International Organization for Migration
▻https://www.iom.int/news/enhanced-solidarity-critical-covid-19-spreads-worlds-most-vulnerable-communitie
▻https://www.iom.int/sites/default/files/styles/highlights/public/press_release/media/lebanon-3.jpg?itok=M6UPZq-C

Geneva – Eight months from the onset of the COVID-19 outbreak, the International Organization for Migration (IOM) is calling on the international community to accelerate support for efforts to mitigate and combat the illness’s impact on migrants, displaced persons and returnees worldwide.
The Organization’s newly revised Global Strategic Preparedness and Response Plan (SPRP) requires USD 618 million to cover the health, humanitarian and socio-economic needs of millions of people in 140 countries. “The impact of the COVID-19 emergency on global health and mobility is unprecedented in size and scope,” said IOM’s Director General, António Vitorino. “As the disease continues to spread to some of the world’s most vulnerable populations, IOM requires increased support to guarantee their access to life-saving health and other services, to ensure they are not left further behind in the global response to the pandemic,” he added.
In the last eight months since the start of the COVID-19 outbreak, the International Organization for Migration has:
–Reached more than 3.5 million people through awareness-raising campaigns on health and hygiene practices; protection concerns; stigmatization and mental health;
–Assisted more than 225,000 people with mental health and psychosocial support in over 35 countries;
–Delivered livelihood support to over 430,000 vulnerable persons in more than 40 countries;
–Conducted more than six million COVID-19 health screenings for travellers in South Sudan and the Democratic Republic of the Congo alone;
–Procured and delivered personal protective equipment, clinical care and diagnostics equipment and relief Items to 10 countries;
– Conducted baseline assessments at over 3,000 points of entry (airports, water ports and land border crossings) to support the enhancement of disease surveillance and effective preparedness and response efforts;
–Supported COVID-19 testing capacity in over 20 countries, and deployed over 120 health staff to strengthen national capacities, in particular in Africa and Asia;
–Conducted webinars for more than 1,200 staff in 134 countries on how to adapt operations in camp settings to mitigate the spread of the disease; and
–Played a technical leadership role in 58 COVID-19 specific coordination gatherings and in 34 regional and national task forces and other coordination mechanisms on points of entry.
Since the COVID-19 outbreak began, over 27 million confirmed cases and over 900,000 deaths have been reported in more than 200 countries (10 September). The steady increase in reported COVID-19 cases continues to put pressure on health, social and economic systems. Global mobility has come to a near standstill with travel restrictions, including border closures and air travel suspensions. As of 1 September, a total of 219countries, territories, or areas had issued more than 86,700travel restrictions to contain and reduce the spread of COVID-19.

#Covid-19#migration#migrant#globalmobility#sante#refugie#camp#frontiere#pandemie#circulation

1,200 Missing Migrants Recorded Thus Far in 2020 May Well Undercount Totals Since Covid-19 Outbreak | International Organization for Migration
▻https://www.iom.int/news/1200-missing-migrants-recorded-thus-far-2020-may-well-undercount-totals-covid-1
▻https://www.iom.int/sites/default/files/styles/highlights/public/press_release/media/mmp_mid-year_chart_2020.png?itok=VrV22M2-

Despite the mobility restrictions put in place in the wake of the COVID-19 outbreak, over 1,200 migrants lost their lives during migration in the first half of 2020, according to data from IOM’s IOM’s Missing Migrants Project.
Responses to COVID-19, including border closures and other measures, have increased the risks of migratory journeys by pushing people into more perilous and deadly situations where humanitarian support and rescue is increasingly unavailable. Many migrants have been stranded due to border closures and are unable to reach safety. They lack access to health services. The difficulty of social distancing for migrants in transit and destination countries may also mean that people trying to migrate irregularly during this time are at a higher risk of contracting the virus. Yet data collection on deaths and disappearances during migration are increasingly difficult amid the pandemic. Therefore, the 1,200 figure above does not include what IOM estimates are many more deaths linked to COVID-19 cases among migrant workers due to mobility restrictions and lockdowns. “The lack of focus on migration-related issues means that the true number of migrant deaths is likely much higher,” said Frank Laczko, director of IOM’s Global Migration Data Analysis Centre (GMDAC). “The fact that these numbers do not include deaths of foreign workers due to COVID-19 – which few countries currently publish – makes it difficult to know the true impact of the pandemic on migrants.”

#Covid-19#migrant#migration#mortalité#statistique#travailleurmigrant#confinement#accessante#sante#frontiere

IOM, Government of Greece Assist 134 Iraqi Migrants with Voluntary Return | International Organization for Migration
►https://www.iom.int/news/iom-government-greece-assist-134-iraqi-migrants-voluntary-return
▻https://www.iom.int/sites/default/files/styles/highlights/public/press_release/media/img_9955.jpg?itok=2RdHr8FZ

The International Organization for Migration (IOM) in Greece and the Hellenic authorities, in coordination with IOM Iraq and the diplomatic corps, organized the voluntary return of 134 Iraqi nationals who wished to return home. They left Athens Thursday (6/8) on a flight to Baghdad International Airport, where the first group of passengers disembarked. The flight then continued to Erbil International Airport.

This is the first large group of migrants to voluntarily return from Greece since the COVID-19 movement restrictions were imposed. Among them were 80 men, 16 women and 38 children.

#Covid_19#migration#migrant#oim#irak#grece#retour

Internal Displacement in Yemen Exceeds 100,000 in 2020 with COVID-19 an Emerging New Cause | International Organization for Migration
►https://www.iom.int/news/internal-displacement-yemen-exceeds-100000-2020-covid-19-emerging-new-cause
►https://www.iom.int/sites/default/files/styles/highlights/public/press_release/media/yemen_6.jpg?itok=xsJ7slwy
“Displaced communities in Yemen have been the ones worst affected by the conflict. Now we are seeing that the COVID-19 outbreak is having a huge negative impact on them,” she added. The outbreak as well as massive funding shortages pose major challenges for the humanitarian community working to assist internally displaced people living in overcrowded informal sites with little access to essential services. The official number of COVID-19 cases in Yemen remains low. However, given limited testing capacity and concerns among the local population about seeking treatment, the humanitarian community is working under the assumption that the actual numbers are much higher. Reports of increasing illness and death from communities across the country are confirming this assumption. Displaced people have now begun to list the outbreak as the reason for their displacement. The majority of people are moving from Aden, as well as to a lesser extent from Lahj and other governorates, to other areas in Lahj less affected by the outbreak while others are going to districts in Al Dhale and Abyan, despite active fighting ongoing in other parts of that governorate. Due to access constraints, IOM DTM currently only collects data on displacement in part of the country— districts in 12 governorates out of 22. Therefore, the number of displacements in 2020 is likely to be much higher than what has been recorded. Many of those displaced as a result of the outbreak were already living in displacement and are moving for the second, third or fourth time. “People are living in constant fear of developing coronavirus symptoms, and they don’t have anything to protect themselves,” said Rawdah, who was displaced from one district to another in Taizz and is now living in a displacement site. The water and sanitation situation in many of the displacement sites in Yemen is extremely worrying, and displaced Yemenis are finding it difficult to access health care. This is particularly the case in Marib where the majority of people have been displaced to this year—more than 66,000 people. Due to the sheer number of displaced people sheltering in and around Marib city, informal displacement sites are overcrowded and lack access to essential services. Across Yemen, restrictions on entry to displacement sites due to infection prevention and control measures for both humanitarians and displaced residents themselves are hampering IOM’s response. Limited access to medical facilities and employment opportunities are key concerns for displaced communities.❞
#Covid-19#migrant#migration#yemen#personnedeplacees#sante#urgencehumanitaire#systemesante#conflit

Migrants, the Backbone of Ukrainian Economy, Require Support in Times of COVID-19 – IOM Report | International Organization for Migration
▻https://www.iom.int/news/migrants-backbone-ukrainian-economy-require-support-times-covid-19-iom-report
▻https://www.iom.int/sites/default/files/styles/highlights/public/press_release/media/ukraine_news_20200619_163415_1592573655.jpg?itok=awvPq7jS

“Migrants are the backbone of the Ukrainian economy,” affirms Anh Nguyen, Chief of Mission at IOM Ukraine. He explains: “Private remittances sent to Ukraine equal to more than 10 per cent of GDP, and a large share of this money comes from migrant workers, allowing their families to cover their basic needs including food, rent, education and health care.”
Today IOM is concerned about conditions impacting an estimated 350,000–400,000 Ukrainian migrant workers who came home following announcements of quarantine or lockdowns in their countries of destination as well as in Ukraine itself.
As IOM Ukraine forecasts in a newly published analysis, implications of COVID-19 travel restrictions will remain extremely challenging not only at the individual, but at the local and national level as well.

#Covid19#migrant#migration#oim#ukraine#travailleurmigrant#envoidefonds

Internal Displacement in Yemen Exceeds 100,000 in 2020 with COVID-19 an Emerging New Cause | International Organization for Migration
►https://www.iom.int/news/internal-displacement-yemen-exceeds-100000-2020-covid-19-emerging-new-cause
►https://www.iom.int/sites/default/files/styles/highlights/public/press_release/media/yemen_6.jpg?itok=xsJ7slwy

Nearly six years have passed, but the conflict in Yemen continues to rage on. So far in 2020, more than 100,000 people have been forced to flee – mostly due to fighting and insecurity. However, COVID-19 is beginning to emerge as a new cause of internal displacement across the country.

#Covid19#migrant#migration#oim#yemen#deplaceinterne

124 Cameroonians Come Home Safely from Niger; Over 6,000 Assisted during Pandemic through European Union Support | International Organization for Migration
▻https://www.iom.int/news/124-cameroonians-come-home-safely-niger-over-6000-assisted-during-pandemic-thro
▻https://www.iom.int/sites/default/files/styles/highlights/public/press_release/media/avrr_cameroon_niger_dsc_0196.jpg?itok=Jpm5PDjc

In partnership with the Governments of Niger and Cameroon, IOM negotiated the opening of a humanitarian corridor to allow the Cameroonians to return home so they can reunite with their families.
All the migrants were tested for COVID-19 prior to their departure from Niamey and upon their arrival in Yaoundé. None of them were declared positive by health authorities. The returnees were also given healthcare kits including face masks and hydroalcoholic solutions. Despite the COVID-19 pandemic, mobility has continued along dangerous migratory routes, leaving thousands of migrants exposed not only to abuse and exploitation, but also to COVID-19.

#Covid-19#migrant#migration#cameroun#niger#retour#corridorhumanitaire#sante#routemigratoire

United Nations in West and Central Africa Concerned Over Increased Vulnerabilities of Migrants Amid COVID-19 | International Organization for Migration
▻https://www.iom.int/news/united-nations-west-and-central-africa-concerned-over-increased-vulnerabilities
►https://www.iom.int/sites/default/files/styles/highlights/public/press_release/media/west_africa_0.png?itok=DTCbxAa8

The Regional United Nations Network on Migration together with the Regional UN-SDG COVID-19 Executive Committee in West and Central Africa are concerned with the wellbeing of millions of migrants across the region amid the COVID-19 crisis. While they face the same health threats from COVID-19 as any other human being, migrants may be exposed to a higher level of vulnerability linked to discrimination and exclusion in their living and working conditions or in their access to basic services including healthcare. Under these difficult circumstances, migrants may be at risk of abuse and other human rights violations. Over 30,000 migrants are currently stranded at borders and more than 2,000 are waiting to be assisted in overcrowded transit centers where they are at heightened risk of COVID-19 infection. Since the outbreak in the region, thousands were abandoned in the desert by smugglers and traffickers along migratory routes. Some were deported, putting their lives and health at risk and others are being targeted with discrimination, hate speech, and xenophobia.
As governments in West and Central Africa are taking preventive measures such as border closures to protect their countries from the spread of COVID-19, migrants, including those in irregular situations, may find themselves disproportionately impacted, unable to access healthcare, social services or protect themselves. In addition, border closures further limit regular migration options including return, while forcing migrants to take more dangerous migratory routes and putting them at risk to be exploited, extorted, or abused.

#Covid-19#migrant#migration#sante#afrique#frontiere#mesuresanitaire#systemesante

Stranded for Three Months, 338 Malians Come Home Via Humanitarian Corridor | International Organization for Migration
▻https://www.iom.int/news/stranded-three-months-338-malians-come-home-humanitarian-corridor
►https://www.iom.int/sites/default/files/styles/highlights/public/press_release/media/retour_mali.jpg?itok=r7GepdDK

Upon their arrival, all migrants were subject to the national COVID-19 prevention protocol, including the disinfection of their luggage, the provision of masks and hydro-alcoholic gel, health screenings and COVID-19 tests. Upon arrival in Bamako, Mali’s capital, they started a 14-day quarantine in a transit centre run by IOM’s partner before they reach their community of origin. "During this COVID-19 period, the most fragile and vulnerable populations are stranded migrants in the sub-region,” said the Representative of the Ambassador of the EU Delegation in Mali, Mustapha Zlaf. “Through the voluntary return of migrants, the European Union, in collaboration with IOM, is supporting the government of Mali to protect and assist their most vulnerable citizens,” he added., "I am happy to return to my country. I suffered a lot during my trip. I was rescued in the desert by IOM’s team. I still have friends stranded in Niger. I hope they will safely return to Mali soon,” said Boubacar, one of the returnees, who had left Mali in 2019 to go to Algeria in search of better opportunities. In the coming weeks, the returning migrants will receive reintegration assistance based on their needs. They will benefit from psychosocial, social and economic support to rebuild their lives at hom

#Covid-19#migrant#migration#rapatriement#mali#algerie#retour#sante#corridorhumanitaire#soutienspychosocial

IOM Organizing Transport Home for Hundreds of Stranded Tajik Migrants | International Organization for Migration
▻https://www.iom.int/news/iom-organizing-transport-home-hundreds-stranded-tajik-migrants
▻https://www.iom.int/sites/default/files/styles/highlights/public/press_release/media/whatsapp_image_2020-06-19_at_14.25.40_3.jpeg?itok=I1mKFoc6

The International Organization for Migration (IOM) is today supporting the voluntary return home of hundreds of Tajik migrants stranded at the Kazakhstan/Uzbekistan border due to restrictions imposed in the wake of COVID-19.
The group of 650 people are mainly migrant workers, and includes women, children and students. On Friday afternoon they were preparing to board buses funded by IOM to make the journey from the border crossing at Zhibek Zholi, through Uzbekistan, to Khojand in Tajikistan.
They are just some of the tens of thousands of migrant workers in Central Asia who have lost their jobs due to the pandemic. Many have come from the Russian Federation, Kazakhstan and even further afield. They are typically working in low-paid jobs with little or no job security. Over a quarter of the returning migrants are between 15 and 24 years of age including 100 Tajik students from Kazakh universities. Fifteen percent of the group are women and girls.
While most of the migrants have only been waiting a few days to get across the border, some have been there for weeks, with little or no shelter and sanitation.

#COvid-19#migrant#migration#oim#tadjikistan#kazakhstan#retour

IOM Turkey Calls for Greater Assistance for Migrants and Refugees as COVID-19 Restrictions Ease - IOM UN migration

Turkey has the 10th highest number of COVID-19 cases globally, but strict measures implemented by the government have allowed it to flatten the curve, with new cases down to under 1,000 per day.

As lock-down restrictions ease in the world’s largest refugee-hosting country, hundreds of thousands of refugees and migrants continue face elevated levels of risk. Many are trying to return to work but can’t afford basic personal protective equipment (PPE) or pay for medical services should they fall ill.

Given this reality, further support to ensure greater protection of migrants is urgently needed.

“The COVID-19 epidemic hit migrant and refugee communities in the larger cities such as Istanbul, Izmir and Gaziantep particularly hard,” explaiend IOM Turkey’s Emergency Coordinator Mazen Aboulhosn. “Hundreds of thousands of migrants were among the first to lose their jobs, causing an immediate financial burden for them and their families. Many are still not able to afford food, medicine and healthcare.

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▻https://www.iom.int/news/iom-turkey-calls-greater-assistance-migrants-and-refugees-covid-19-restrictions

IOM Provides Relief to Vulnerable Migrants in Response to COVID-19 in Argentina | International Organization for Migration
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▻https://www.iom.int/news/iom-provides-relief-vulnerable-migrants-response-covid-19-argentina
▻https://www.iom.int/sites/default/files/styles/highlights/public/press_release/media/argentina_pbn_1.png?itok=EWMzZBAw

Buenos Aires – Through Sunday, 10 May, Argentina has reported 6,034 COVID-19 cases and just over 300 deaths. A social, preventative and mandatory lockdown was decreed by the national Government on 20 March and most commercial and industrial activities are suspended, as are in-person classes at all education levels. Migrants here face special obstacles.