Syrian refugees leave Beirut for temporary resettlement in Germany

The International Organization for Migration (IOM) today (7 January) organized a fifth charter flight from Beirut to Kassel in Germany for 160 vulnerable Syrian refugees as part of the German government’s Humanitarian Admissions Programme (HAP). 

The refugees, who have been offered temporary resettlement in Germany until the end of the Syrian conflict or until other durable solutions are found, will join 643 other refugees who have already been flown to Germany by IOM since the launch of the programme in September 2013.

The programme, which will eventually resettle a total of 3,500 Syrian refugees, is expected to continue through June 2014.  “The number of refugees benefiting from this project is a tiny percentage of Syrians in Lebanon urgently in need of this type of humanitarian assistance,” said Maurizio Santicola, IOM’s head of operations in Beirut.  “With the number of refugees in Lebanon now well above 850,000, the prospect of other countries starting to receive refugees for temporary or other resettlement would be a very positive development. IOM stands ready to help should other countries implement similar programmes,” he added.

Syrian refugees accepted for the HAP programme were identified by UNHCR in Lebanon between June and July 2013. Priority was given refugees with special needs, including vulnerable women and children, people with urgent medical needs and/or close family ties to Germany.  Refugees on the IOM charter flight include women, men and 49 children. Two IOM doctors are accompanying the group, which includes one stretcher case and two people with mild disabilities.

After arriving in Kassel later today, the refugees will be taken to reception centres in Friedland and Bramsche.  IOM has provided a total of 23 four-day pre-departure cultural orientation sessions for adult refugees before all five charter flights. The orientation is designed to facilitate their integration in Germany.  IOM and UNHCR have welcomed Germany’s initiative as an important gesture of solidarity with Lebanon at a time when the country’s $1.2 billion humanitarian response plan to cope with the impact of the Syrian crisis is only 51 per cent funded.

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