Support for refugees

| Subject: International Relations

Motion to support the reception of refugees fleeing from their homes due to armed conflicts

Refugees camp

On 3rd April, the Metropolitan Council, during a plenary meeting, approved a motion to support Mediterranean refugees fleeing from their homes due to armed conflicts. The basis of this motion is the need to draw attention to the humanitarian crisis facing refugees, whose situation has worsen with the spread of COVID-19.

The AMB has urged various State and European institutions to take steps such as stopping deportations and finding solutions through the common and joint work between the member states. It has also exhorted the European institution to allocate budget resources to help support refugees.

Emergency project on Lesbos
The commitments undertaken by the AMB in the motion include the awarding of a grant to the organisation Lesvos Solidarity to carry out the project "Protecting refugees against COVID-19 and human rights violations on the island of Lesbos (Greece)".

The aim of the project is to prevent and detect cases of COVID-19 in the Morai and Pikpa refugee camps. At present, almost 19,000 people are confined in the Moria camp, even though it has a capacity for 3,000 people, whereas in the Pikpa camp–managed by Lesvos Solidarity–the project will serve to ensure the rights of those most vulnerable, particularly unaccompanied minors, pregnant women and people with serious illnesses.

In addition, efforts are being made with Greek and European institutions to secure commitments that guarantee the rights of refugees during the COVID-19 pandemic. In this regard, the motion corroborates the support offered by metropolitan areas, cities and other sub-national authorities, which have stood by people who have been discriminated, demonstrating their willingness to welcome refugees. 

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