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Tag: United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees

  • More than 3,200 Burkinabe asylum seekers registered – Refugee Board

    More than 3,200 Burkinabe asylum seekers registered – Refugee Board

    The Ghana Refugee Board has stated that its outfit has registered more than 3,200 Burkinabe seeking asylum from the country.

    “Ghana currently hosts refugees and asylum seekers from about 35 different countries, who are received and registered by the Ghana Refugee Board on a daily basis,” a statement issued by the Ministry on Wednesday, July 19 said.

    “Over the past few years, some nationals of Burkina Faso have sought refuge in the Northern Regions of Ghana due to armed attacks on them by extremist elements.

    “The Ghana Refugee Board has successfully registered over 3,200 Burkinabe asylum seekers. Registration is still ongoing.”

    Meanwhile, the Ministry of Interior has raised worry about recent allegations of the expulsion of Burkinabe nationals seeking asylum in the country.

    The reports were first brought to the attention of the United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees (UNHCR), who condemned Ghana’s actions, saying they “amount to a violation of the non-refoulement principle, and guarantee access to the territory and asylum to nationals of Burkina Faso seeking international protection.”

    Despite the Ministry of National Security previously dismissing the accusations, the Interior Ministry has chimed in on the matter, emphasizing that Ghana has hosted refugees from all over the world since the 1960s.

    It stated that a receiving center has been established at Tarikom in the Bawku West District of the Upper West Region with the assistance of UNHCR to assist in the relocation of refugees.

    “So far, over 500 Burkinabe Asylum Seekers have been relocated.”

    It emphasized that Burkinabes continue to enter Ghana and that “our country continues to guarantee those seeking asylum international protection, ensuring that all of their rights as asylum seekers are respected.”

    It stated that the Ghana Refugee Board would continue to provide necessary interventions for all asylum seekers and refugees until permanent solutions to their refugee predicament were established.

    “Without prejudice to the security challenges in the sub-region involving other stakeholders, we shall continue to honour our obligations counting on adequate support from our partners/UN system.”

    The Ministry also stated that the government will not abandon its responsibility to safeguard and care for the vulnerable members of society.

  • We didn’t force repatriation of Burkinabe refugees – National security denies

    We didn’t force repatriation of Burkinabe refugees – National security denies

    The Ministry of National Security has categorically disputed media claims and publications stating that the Ghana Armed Forces (GAF) were involved in the forced repatriation of Burkinabe refugees from Ghana.

    In a statement, the Ministry reaffirmed Ghana’s steadfast commitment to provide refuge and assistance to Burkinabe citizens who have been displaced to the Upper East and Upper West regions due to security concerns in southern Burkina Faso.

    “The Ministry, in collaboration with the Ghana Refugee Board and the United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees (UNHCR), has accordingly established a temporary reception centre in the Upper East Region, capable of holding an estimated Two thousand, one hundred (2,100) displaced people from Burkina Faso.

    “Currently, five hundred and thirty (530) displaced Burkinabes are being accommodated at the reception centre. Additionally, Ghanaian official entities ensure that displaced persons have access to free food and medical care. Also, as part of measures to enhance containment efforts, a 30-acre land has been acquired for the establishment of housing facilities to host displaced persons.

    “Contrary to claims that displaced Burkinabes are being forced out of Ghana, a repatriation process has been instituted at the reception centre to aid the movement of Burkinabes who wish to return to their country.”

    According to the National Security Ministry, the repatriation procedure is in accordance with international standards on refugee management and has thus far been carried out in partnership with Burkinabe Immigration Authorities along the Ghana-Burkina Faso border.

    “The Government of Ghana reiterates its commitment to maintaining peace, stability, and territorial integrity while ensuring the well-being of its citizens. Operations will continue to be conducted with respect for human rights, including the rights of refugees and displaced persons from neighbouring countries,” the statement added.

  • 1,200 migrants escorted by Italian Coast Guard boats in the Mediterranean Sea

    1,200 migrants escorted by Italian Coast Guard boats in the Mediterranean Sea

    In the course of a significant operation in a location where migrant numbers have increased over the past year, the Italian Coast Guard was on duty on Tuesday escorting two boats in the Mediterranean Sea carrying 1,200 migrants.

    Alarm Phone, a volunteer-operated hotline, said that emergency personnel were rushing to save 400 migrants from a barge that had run out of gasoline.
    Later on Monday, the Coast Guard informed CNN that it was escorting a different vessel with 800 migrants.

    “Due to the prohibitive sea conditions, the Peluso ship, the Diciotti ship and the Coast Guard patrol boats are escorting the two units, in difficulty since yesterday, with migrants on board,” the Coast Guard said on Twitter. “The ships, carrying 400 and 800 migrants, got into trouble in rough seas on Monday.”

    Alarm Phone said in a tweet earlier that it had spoken to passengers at 10.56 a.m. local time (4.56 a.m. ET), describing the situation on board as “dramatic,” with the boat starting to leak. “They report several medical emergencies, water filling the vessel and no fuel left. We have informed the authorities,” Alarm phone said.

    The coast guard is traveling next to the boat en route to Italy because an escort is “safer” than attempting to rescue those on board in poor weather, said Felix Weiss, a spokesman for Sea-Watch International, a German organization that runs search and rescue operations in the central Mediterranean.

    The migrants had been stranded along an immigration route between Italy and Malta that NGOs have warned is perilously dangerous.

    The boat with 400 migrants departed from Tobruk, Libya, and had been at risk of capsizing with water in the hull, according to Alarm Phone. The service also said many on board required medical attention, including a child, a pregnant woman and a disabled person.

    The Italian Coast Guard also said Monday that more than 1,700 migrants had arrived on the Sicilian island of Lampedusa in the last 48 hours. Lampedusa, the closest Italian island to Africa, is a major destination for migrants seeking to enter European Union countries.

    Every year, tens of thousands of migrants fleeing war, persecution and poverty risk the treacherous route in search of safety and better economic prospects. In many cases, their vessels are overcrowded and unfit for the journey, and the need to rescue migrants on board often leads to disputes between countries about who should take them in.

    More than 28,000 migrants have arrived in Italy so far this year, according to the country’s Interior Ministry – a significant surge compared to recent years. The number of migrants arriving in Italy this year are the highest seen in the country since 2017, according to figures by the United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees.

    Most arrivals have journeyed from the Ivory Coast, Guinea, Bangladesh, Tunisia and Pakistan.