Germany Pledges New Money to Improve Migrant Conditions in Libya
Germany has promised extra money to improve conditions for migrants in Libya. The $3.9 million comes in response to calls from the U.N. refugee agency.
Germany’s foreign minister, Sigmar Gabriel, made an unannounced visit to the Libyan capital Tripoli on June 8, when he said many migrants are “in a desperate situation.”
Gabriel said Germany already provides the “lion’s share” of funding to the International Organization for Migration under various schemes including the European Union Trust Fund for Africa.
Libya is in the throes of a protracted civil war and has become part of a major people-smuggling route since the fall of the regime of Muammar Gaddafi in 2011. The country is divided by several warring factions, with the U.N.- and E.U.-recognized government of Fayez al-Sarraj confined to an air base in Tripoli.
Germany and Italy are the leading member states in an E.U. effort to reduce sea crossings from Libya. The Central Mediterranean is now the main irregular route into Europe since crossings were reduced between Greece and Turkey.
The E.U. is part-funding and training the Libyan coast guard in an effort to have it intercept migrant boats and return people to shore. However, conditions in detention centers in Libya have been widely condemned by international agencies and rights groups.
Refugee Children Face ‘Harrowing’ Detention in Southeast Asia
Thousands of refugee children face appalling conditions in detention in Southeast Asia, charities warn. More than 2,290 children seeking asylum were being held in Thailand, Malaysia and Indonesia at the end of last year.
The report from Save the Children and the Asia Pacific Refugee Rights Network said many of the minors were from Myanmar, Bangladesh and Afghanistan, and had been trying to reach Australia.
“These children should not be treated like criminals,” said Mike Novell, Save the Children’s interim director for Asia. “The impact this environment has on children is extremely damaging … It can lead to developmental delays and self-harm while putting children at very real risk of violence, sexual abuse and exploitation.”
The charities are lobbying the relevant governments, including Australia, to end the practice of detaining children. The numbers detained have fallen by half since a similar report in 2014.
Private-Sector Coalition Announces New Funds for Greece
A coalition of private-sector foundations has announced 4 million euros ($4.5 million) in funding for refugees in Greece.
The money, which will also benefit vulnerable Greeks, will be spent on shelter, food and medical and social services.
Ascend, the new philanthropic initiative, is backed by the Radcliffe Foundation, IKEA Foundation, Libra Group and Coca-Cola. Ascend activities will also be supported by the Open Society Foundations, Microsoft, Western Union and NextFab Foundation.
The Home Project, which works with refugee children in Greece, will be among the main beneficiaries. The funding was announced at the two-day Concordia Europe summit in Athens.
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- The Financial Times: How the World’s Biggest Refugee Settlement Sprung Up in Uganda
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- Radio Canada: Airbnb Facilitates Free Temporary Housing for Refugees