The United Nations Office at Geneva
Multimedia Newsroom
Edited News | UNHCR
UNOG Bi-weekly press briefing: Search And Rescue Operations In Italy - UNHCR
“Italy: More than 450 migrants rescued in the Mediterranean disembark in Sicily signaling a sharp rise in sea arrivals in 2021 so far - UNHCR”
Following the latest rescue operations of migrants to Italy by Charity Ships in the Central Mediterranean, the UN Refugee Agency (UNHCR) warned today of mounting refugee and migrant deaths in the Central Mediterranean with a 170 per cent increase of sea arrivals in Italy in 2021 compared to the same period in 2020.
Speaking from the port of Trapani in Sicily, UNHCR’s spokesperson for Italy, Carlotta Sami, told journalists at a briefing at the United Nations in Geneva that “over 450 persons, among them 190 minors, are disembarking following rescue and six different operations by the NGO vessel ‘Sea Watch’.
She added that “since the very early hour of Saturday 1st of May, some 1,500 persons have disembarked in Italy following rescue by the Italian Coast Guard and Custom police or by international NGOs in the Central Mediterranean.”
The majority of arrivals departed from Libya onboard in flimsy, unseaworthy vessels.
UNHCR has witnessed a great number of children among the migrants - many of them are unaccompanied.
The majority of migrants originate from Mali, and the Sahel/West Africa, Eritrea and North Africa. Many are fleeing from war and conflicts, like in the Sahel, where indiscriminate attacks constantly lead to death and forced displacement, or they are fleeing persecution and being trafficked.
However, according to UNHCR’s global statistics, movements to Europe represent only a small part of the global refugees’ situation. Eighty per cent of people who flee stay within their region of origin.
“5.5 millions of refugees and IDPs are in the Sahel Countries so what we see here, in Italy, is just the tip of the iceberg”, said Carlotta Sami. “The latest disembarkation in any case brings the number of sea arrivals to Italy in 2021 to 10,400. This is more than a 170 per cent increase compared to 2020.”
UNHCR gathered testimonies during the past few days, including from children, who speak of imprisonment and brutalities inflicted with no respect for human life, while survivors often show severe mental health problems as a result of the traumas they have faced.
UNHCR commends Italy for keeping its ports open during the pandemic but appeals to other European countries to step up its efforts to strengthen the protection of persons travelling along this route and to provide safe alternatives to these dangerous and desperate journeys.
“Solidarity from the other EU members is urgently needed”, said UNHCR’s Carlotta Sami. “UNHCR is deeply concerned about the death toll. So far in 2021, at least 500 persons are known to have lost life trying to make the sea crossing in the Central Med.”
She added that “in 2020, there were 150 in this period of the year, so we have an increase of 200 per cent. Of course, the tragic loss of lives underscores once again the need to re-establish a system coordinated by States for search and rescue operations in the Central Mediterranean.”
For UNHCR, this tragic loss of life underscores once again the need to reestablish a system for search and rescue operations in the Central Mediterranean coordinated by States. The deteriorating situation in Libya will continue to force people to resort to desperate measures to seek safety.
Legal pathways such as humanitarian corridors, evacuations, resettlement and family reunification must be expanded.
- Exterior wide shot, Palais des Nations flag alley, nations’ flags flying, a cloudy day.
- Wide shot, podium with speakers in a near-empty Room XIV in line with COVID-19 distancing measures, Palais des Nations.
- SOUNDBITE (English) — Carlotta Sami, UNHCR Senior Spokesperson in Italy: “Over 450 persons, among them 190 minors, are disembarking following rescue and six different operations by the NGO vessel Sea Watch. Since the very early hour of Saturday 1st of May, some 1,500 persons have disembarked in Italy following rescue by the Italian Coast Guard and Custom police or by international NGOs in the Central Mediterranean.”
- Medium shot, attendee typing on laptop, Room XIV, Palais des Nations.
- SOUNDBITE (English) — Carlotta Sami, UNHCR Senior Spokesperson in Italy: “5.5 millions of refugees and IDPs are in the Sahel Countries so what we see here, in Italy, is just the tip of the iceberg. The latest disembarkation in any case brings the number of sea arrivals to Italy in 2021 to 10,400. This is more than a 170 per cent increase compared to 2020.”
- Medium shot, attendee typing on laptop to rear, side shot, Room XIV, Palais des Nations.
- SOUNDBITE (English) — Carlotta Sami, UNHCR Senior Spokesperson in Italy: “Solidarity from the other EU members is urgently needed. Also, UNHCR is deeply concerned about the death toll. So far in 2021, at least 500 persons are known to have lost life trying to make the sea crossing in the Central Med.”
- Medium shot, attendee using listening device Room XIV, Palais des Nations.
- SOUNDBITE (English) — Carlotta Sami, UNHCR Senior Spokesperson in Italy: “In 2020, there were 150 in this period of the year, so we have an increase of 200 per cent. Of course, the tragic loss of lives underscores once again the need to re-establish a system coordinated by States for search and rescue operations in the Central Mediterranean.”
- Wide shot, podium to rear and TV broadcasting in foreground, Room XIV, Palais des Nations
- Medium shot, attendees using listening devices, Room XIV, Palais des Nations.
- Medium shot, attendee sitting in front of laptop in foreground and TV broadcasting to rear, Room XIV, Palais des Nations.
Similar Stories
1
1
1
Edited News | WHO
The risk of hantavirus spreading to the general population is “absolutely low”, the UN World Health Organization (WHO) stressed on Friday.
1
1
1
Edited News | UNHCR , IFRC
Death and destruction have continued unabated in Lebanon while communities are still unable to return to their homes despite a ceasefire that began on 17 April, humanitarians said on Tuesday.
1
1
Edited News | WHO
Deadly hantavirus on board cruise ship may be transmitted among humans - WHO
Hantavirus victims on a ship in the Atlantic Ocean may have been infected prior to joining the cruise and human-to-human transmission on board cannot be ruled out – although it is rare - the World Health Organization (WHO) said on Tuesday.
1
1
1
Edited News | OHCHR
UN rights chief concerned by upheld convictions of Cambodian activists.
1
1
1
Edited News | UNHCR , OHCHR
Middle East crisis puts aid, food, fuel further out of reach for millions already struggling – UN agencies
As the Middle East crisis continues the humanitarian fallout is worsening, with aid route disruptions and food and fuel price hikes wrecking the lives and rights of the most vulnerable, UN agencies warned on Friday.
1
1
2
Edited News | UNMAS
Demining experts from around the world have been sharing their collective shock at the widespread and growing threat from unexploded ordnance, the new head of the UN Mine Action Service (UNMAS) said on Wednesday.
1
1
1
Edited News | OHCHR , UNOG
The UN Human Rights Office in Syria conducted a 5-day visit to the northeast of the country where they received accounts of human rights violations and abuses.
1
1
1
Edited News | UNICEF
Sudan: ‘History repeating itself’ for Darfur’s children - UNICEF
Mass atrocities in Sudan’s Darfur 20 years ago reverberated as far as Hollywood, but today, a new generation of children faces attacks, hunger and displacement in an emergency largely ignored by the outside world, the UN Children’s Fund (UNICEF) warned on Tuesday.
1
1
Edited News | WHO , UNMAS
Desperate and dangerous conditions in Gaza continue to hamper recovery efforts for the wartorn enclave's people, the UN health agency said on Friday, while demining experts warned that they’ve “barely scratched the surface” in assessing the level of contamination of unexploded ordnance.
2
1
2
Press Conferences , Edited News
The continued support of UN Member States to Lebanon will be “indispensable” to boost the country’s national armed forces and provide humanitarian assistance with more than one million people still uprooted by the Middle East war, the UN's peacekeeping chief said on Wednesday.
2
1
2
Press Conferences , Edited News | UNECE
Middle East war: After oil and gas shortages, concerns grow over critical minerals crunch
The shipping crisis in the Strait of Hormuz caused by war in the Middle East has exposed a new threat: a looming shortage of strategic minerals needed to drive economies all over the world and a race by countries to obtain them.
1
1
1
Edited News | IOM
Millions of desperate Sudanese return home amid dire conditions as war rages – IOM
Three years into the devastating conflict in Sudan, nearly four million displaced people have returned to their places of origin across the country, only to face “another struggle for survival”, the UN International Organization for Migration (IOM) said on Tuesday.