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Libya + 4 more

UNHCR Update Libya (28 June 2019)

Attachments

Key figures:

268,629 Libyans currently internally displaced (IDPs)
444,760 returned IDPs
55,770 registered refugees and asylum-seekers
2,447 overall persons arrived in Italy
636 monitoring visits to detention centres
1,223 refugees and asylum-seekers released from detention
460 refugees and asylum-seekers currently hosted in the Gathering and Departure Facility (GDF); 1,689 individuals transited through the GDF since Dec. 2018
4,369 vulnerable refugees and asylum-seekers departed since November 2017

Funding
USD 88.1 M required for 2019

Highlights

This week, UNHCR has called for US$210 million to assist and protect refugees and asylum-seekers travelling through the Central and Western Mediterranean routes. UNHCR’s appeal is for a comprehensive programme of support that prevents people from falling in to the hands of smugglers and traffickers in the first place, provides alternatives to dangerous journeys in first countries of asylum, and offers increased humanitarian assistance and support to survivors of human rights violations and abuses.

Population movements

As of 28 June, 3,457 refugees and migrants were rescued/intercepted at sea by the Libyan Coast Guard during 44 operations in 2019. Since May UNHCR has noted an increase of disembarkation events when compared to previous month. In June alone, 1,060 refugees and migrants were disembarked at the Tripoli Naval Base (458 individuals), Al Khums port (436 individuals), and Azzawya (166 individuals). This week, 392 refugees and migrants were disembarked at Al Khums port (267 individuals) and Tripoli (125 individuals). UNHCR and its partner the International Medical Corps provided medical assistance and core-relief items to those disembarked before they were transferred to a detention centre. Recently, boats have been departing from areas near Al Khums.

UNHCR response

UNHCR continues to implement quick-impact projects (QIPs) to support internally displaced persons (IDPs) and returnees. QIPs are small, rapidly implemented projects intended to help create conditions for peaceful coexistence between those displaced and their hosting communities. UNHCR, through the Danish Refugee Council (DRC), is completing two QIPs for returnees in Al Awiniya in the Nafousa Mountains. UNHCR and DRC have supported the provision of school items, furniture, and sport kits for a primary and elementary school attended by 150 children. In addition, a local clinic was supported with medical supplies and furniture that is assisting 3,750 persons living in the area.

UNHCR, through its partner ACTED, distributed cash-based interventions to 1,650 IDPs in Benghazi. The cash is normally used to cover basic needs, including food, hygiene items, fuel, and other household costs. The greater Benghazi area is hosting over 27,060 IDPs and another 189,025 returnees.

There are 55,770 refugees and asylum-seekers registered with UNHCR in Libya. The majority are Syrians (44 percent), Sudanese (21 percent), and Eritreans (14 percent). This week, UNHCR has registered over 120 persons of concern in urban areas and held in detention centres. In addition, UNHCR continues to conduct an extensive verification exercise. So far this year, over 4,450 individuals were registered, including approximately 2,000 in detention.

Over the past six months, 1,296 refugees and asylum-seekers departed for solutions out of Libya.

Over 1,000 individuals were evacuated by UNHCR through the Gathering and Departure Facility (GDF) to Italy (295 individuals) and to the Emergency Transit Mechanism in Niger (710 individuals). The GDF is now hosting 460 individuals. Another 291 refugees departed under resettlement programme to third countries or through the Emergency Transit Centre in Romania.