Attachments
Key figures
- 179,822 refugees obtained temporary protection and refugee status in Romania (as of February 2025).
- 18,162 refugees enrolled for cash assistance in 2024 and 2025.
- 29,398 refugees provided with protection counselling services and legal support in 2024 and 2025.
- 10,654 refugees supported with livelihood and employment services in 2024 and 2025.
Highlights
On 11 March, the State Counsellor from the Prime Minister’s Office, Mrs. Alina Cimpoieru, accompanied by UNHCR Representative Pablo Zapata visited the UNHCR’s warehouse, to familiarize herself with the organization’s contingency as part of the preparedness commitment towards the Government of Romania through the Department of Emergency Situations (DSU). She also was briefed on the availability of core-relief items (CRIs), of which so far in 2025, UNHCR and its partners distributed over 26,457to 9,519 refugees and members of the host community. Mrs. Cimpoieru then visited RomExpo Community Centre, engaging with UNHCR and partners providing essential services in Bucharest. On 13 March, H.E. Ihor Prokopchuk, Ukrainian Ambassador to Romania, accompanied by UNHCR Representative, Mr. Pablo Zapata, visited UNHCR’s Community Centre at RomExpo, in Bucharest, which is undergoing renovation works. During the visit, Mr. Prokopchuk had the possibility to engage with Ukrainians present at the Centre and discussed with partners providing services and assistance for refugees. Currently some 250 refugees from Ukraine are supported with services daily in RomExpo.
Humanitarian Response and Advocacy
On 13 March, UNHCR visited two businesses opened by Ukrainian refugees in Brasov, who benefited of entrepreneurship grants in 2024. Olga arrived in Romania in 2022 from Ukraine, where she worked as a laboratory doctor. In Romania she graduated cosmetology classes and, with the help of UNHCR, managed to open a cosmetic parlour. Kateryna used to work with vulnerable people in Ukraine. Now, she is organising arts and crafts classes for both adults and children, facilitating the integration of Ukrainians in Romania.
On 10 March, in partnership with the School Inspectorate of Constanța, UNHCR organised a photography workshop for Ukrainian and Romanian teenagers, to learn useful skills and foster social cohesion. The training, attended by Ukrainian and Romanian adolescents, was held by a Ukrainian photographer residing in Constanta. Despite language barriers, this initiative demonstrated that youth could interact very well with each other and provided insights for other similar activities in the future. The event was well-received with participants appreciating the overall experience.
On 10 March, the President of Project Voyager, Roxana Popa – UNHCR’s livelihood partner in Romania, attended the event "We're Better Together – Fostering Refugee Integration and Inclusion" co-chaired by INGKA group, driven by IKEA, and UNHCR in Brussels. The event gathered around 150 members of the private sector, international organizations and partners and highlighted the importance of continued support for refugees social-economic integration through platforms such as Jobs for Ukraine, as well as the need to maintain an open dialogue with the community by providing counselling and assistance.