UNHCR and EU ask Norway to accept more quota refugees

RefugeesRefugees.Photo: pixabay.com

Representatives of UNHCR and EU are coming together in Oslo to ask if Norway can receive more ‘quota refugees’.

Wilfried Buchhorn of the High Commissioner for Refugees (UNHCR) and EU Ambassador to Norway, Thierry Bechet will call on Norway to accept more ‘quota refugees’ at a meeting on Tuesday afternoon.

“UNHCR wants Norway to gradually increase its quota, but without giving specific figures, says senior counselor Pål Nesse  in Refugee Aid.

“We at the Refugee Council believe that Norway must receive 5,000 refugees in addition to prioritizing support in the neighbouring areas, where the number of refugees is increasing,” says Nesse.

He hopes that a parliamentary majority will join forces and agree to a quota increase.

Earlier this autumn, the European Commission presented its new quota program, aiming for European countries to receive at least 50,000 new quota refugees over the next two years. This is twice as many as today.

The EU’s previous program was adopted in 2015 and a total of 23,000 quota refugees have since arrived in Europe.

“On September 30, only 1,800 asylum seekers had come to Norway, which is the lowest number in 25 years,” says Nesse.

“For you to help fight the boat smugglers, you must provide legal travel options for someone,” he emphasizes.

 

Source: NRK / Norway Today

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