UN / MEDITERRANEAN MIGRANTS SITUATION
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28-Sep-2023
00:03:58
Addressing the Security Council about migrants in the Mediterranean, the Head of the UN Refugee Agency in New York, Ruven Menikdiwela, said, “Saving lives at sea and providing humanitarian assistance is one of the most basic obligations of humanity, and those performing rescue operations or helping in good faith should not be penalized for doing so.” UNIFEED / FILE
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STORY: UN / MEDITERRANEAN MIGRANTS SITUATION
TRT: 03:58
SOURCE: UNIFEED / UNHCR / UNICEF
RESTRICTIONS: PLEASE SEE SHOTLIST FOR CREDITS
LANGUAGE: ENGLISH / NATS
DATELINE: 28 SEPTEMBER 2023, NEW YORK CITY / FILE
SHOTLIST:
FILE – NEW YORK CITY
1. Wide shot, exterior, United Nations Headquarters
28 SEPTEMBER 2023, NEW YORK CITY
2. Wide shot, Security Council
3. SOUNDBITE (English) Ruven Menikdiwela, Director, New York Office, United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees (UNHCR):
“All Mediterranean States must urgently step up search and rescue efforts and implement effective and predictable disembarkation mechanisms. Saving lives at sea and providing humanitarian assistance is one of the most basic obligations of humanity, and those performing rescue operations or helping in good faith should not be penalized for doing so.”
4. Med shot, Director of UNHCR office in New York sitting
5. SOUNDBITE (English) Ruven Menikdiwela, Director, New York Office, United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees (UNHCR):
“The conditions of thousands of refugees and migrants in both official and unofficial detention facilities in Libya remain of grave concern; UNHCR continues to advocate for the registration of all persons seeking international refugee protection and seeks Libya’s support to ensure access to, and appropriate responses for, them. UNHCR also remains concerned about the disembarkation in Libya of refugees and migrants rescued/intercepted at sea. Libya is not a place of safety for the purposes of disembarkation following rescue at sea.”
6. Med shot, Director of UNHCR office in New York sitting
7. SOUNDBITE (English) Ruven Menikdiwela, Director, New York Office, United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees (UNHCR):
“Italy cannot be left on its own in responding to the needs of the arrivals. UNHCR has repeatedly called for the establishment of an agreed regional disembarkation and redistribution mechanism for people who arrive by sea, in a spirit of responsibility sharing and solidarity with front-line states.”
8. Med shot, Director of UNHCR office in New York sitting
9. SOUNDBITE (English) Ruven Menikdiwela, Director, New York Office, United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees (UNHCR):
“At the core of this approach, there is the recognition of the importance of the right to seek asylum at borders without being turned away or violently pushed back. People should not be prevented from seeking protection under international human rights law and international refugee law.”
10. Med shot, Director of UNHCR office in New York sitting
11. SOUNDBITE (English) Pär Liljert, Director, Office to the United Nations, International Organization for Migration (IOM):
“While significant attention is dedicated to deaths at sea, the stories shared by migrants suggest that several tragedies may be going unnoticed, especially during the
crossing of the Sahara Desert. Despite the emergence of other significant migration routes in recent years, the Central Mediterranean route remains the most dangerous.”
12. Med shot, delegates
13. SOUNDBITE (English) Pär Liljert, Director, Office to the United Nations, International Organization for Migration (IOM):
“Discrimination, xenophobic attacks, and negative narratives against migrants and refugees are unfortunately increasing along the Mediterranean route, and it is a concern. IOM urges all States to ensure the safety and dignity of those within their borders as per applicable international instruments.”
14. Med shot, delegates
15. SOUNDBITE (English) Pär Liljert, Director, Office to the United Nations, International Organization for Migration (IOM):
“As the world is experiencing higher rates of conflict, disasters, and environmental degradation than at any time in the past three decades, compounded by glaring inequalities and increased poverty, we can expect more and more people to embark on perilous journeys.”
16. Med shot, delegates
FILE – PLEASE CREDIT UNHCR ON SCREEN - 18 JUNE 2018, TRIPOLI, LIBYA
17. Wide shot, Mediterranean Sea, port
FILE – PLEASE CREDIT UNHCR ON SCREEN - 17-22 SEPTEMBER 2017, MEDITERRANEAN SEA, 50 MILES OFF THE LIBYAN COAST
18. Close up, children on boat
19. Various shots, migrants boarding, Italian Coast Guard patrol vessel
20. Various shots, migrants on boat
21. Med shot, Italian Coast Guards transferring a child from one boat to another
22. Med shot, migrants at night on a rescue boat
FILE – PLEASE CREDIT UNICEF ON SCREEN - MAY 2016, MEDITERRANEAN SEA, SOUTH OF ITALY
23. Med shot, refugees and migrants reaching out for lifejackets
24. Pan left, refugees and migrants being transported on rescue boat
STORYLINE:
Addressing the Security Council today (28 Sep) about migrants in the Mediterranean, the Head of the UN Refugee Agency (UNHCR) in New York, Ruven Menikdiwela, said, “Saving lives at sea and providing humanitarian assistance is one of the most basic obligations of humanity, and those performing rescue operations or helping in good faith should not be penalized for doing so.”
She stressed, “All Mediterranean States must urgently step up search and rescue efforts and implement effective and predictable disembarkation mechanisms.”
Between January and August 2023, it is estimated that over 102,000 refugees and migrants attempted to cross the Central Mediterranean Sea to Europe from Tunisia - a 260 percent increase compared to last year -- and over 45,000 from Libya.
Thirty-one thousand people were rescued at sea or intercepted and disembarked in Tunisia and 10,600 in Libya.
Departures from Algeria remain limited, with almost 4,700 arrivals in Spain until August 2023, an increase of 18 percent compared to 2022.
Additionally, 3,700 people were rescued/intercepted by the Algerian authorities during the same period, a 68 percent increase.
In total, some 186,000 people arrived from January to 24 September 2023 by sea in Southern Europe (Italy, Greece, Spain, Cyprus, and Malta), with the majority, over 130,000 people arriving in Italy, an increase of 83 percent compared to the same period in 2022.
By September 24th, over 2,500 people in 2023 alone were accounted as dead or missing, an increase of two-thirds, compared with 1,680 people for the same period in 2022.
Menikdiwela said that the conditions of thousands of refugees and migrants in both official and unofficial detention facilities in Libya remain of grave concern.
She added, “UNHCR continues to advocate for the registration of all persons seeking international refugee protection and seeks Libya’s support to ensure access to, and appropriate responses for, them.”
She also said that UNHCR remains concerned about the disembarkation in Libya of refugees and migrants rescued/intercepted at sea.
She stated, “Libya is not a place of safety for the purposes of disembarkation following rescue at sea.”
Menikdiwela also expressed serious concern about the situation in Lampedusa and said, “Italy cannot be left on its own in responding to the needs of the arrivals. UNHCR has repeatedly called for establishing an agreed regional disembarkation and redistribution mechanism for people who arrive by sea, in a spirit of responsibility sharing and solidarity with front-line states.”
As recently emphasized by the UN High Commissioner for Refugees, the challenges of mixed movements of refugees and migrants require a panoramic view of population movements.
This implies moving away from the focus on just controlling arrivals at borders to looking at their geographical complexity - at all steps of the long migratory routes, starting from root causes in countries of origin, which include conflict and violence, interacting with climate change, weak governance, and lack of development.
Menikdiwela said that this approach's core is recognizing “the importance of the right to seek asylum at borders, without being turned away or violently pushed back. People should not be prevented from seeking protection under international human rights law and international refugee law.”
Lives are also lost on land, away from public attention.
Pär Liljert, Director of the IOM Office to the United Nations, highlighted, “While significant attention is dedicated to deaths at sea, the stories shared by migrants suggest that several tragedies may be going unnoticed, especially during the crossing of the Sahara Desert.”
He added, “Despite the emergence of other significant migration routes in recent years, the Central Mediterranean route remains the most dangerous.”
According to Liljert, the impact of the recent upheavals in Sudan that resulted in significant displacement has also become visible in the demography of those arriving in Europe through the Central Mediterranean route.
In August, 1,294 Sudanese arrived in Italy after transiting through Tunisia.
Land crossings from Libya to Tunisia have also increased, with migrants coming directly from Libya to Sfax, Tunisia, and beyond.
He highlighted, “Discrimination, xenophobic attacks, and negative narratives against migrants and refugees are unfortunately increasing along the Mediterranean route, and it is a concern. IOM urges all States to ensure the safety and dignity of those within their borders as per applicable international instruments.”
Liljert also talked about the exacerbating impact of climate change and food insecurity in countries of origin and transit, which affect living conditions and contribute to further displacement and irregular migration.
He concluded, “As the world is experiencing higher rates of conflict, disasters, and environmental degradation than at any time in the past three decades, compounded by glaring inequalities and increased poverty, we can expect more and more people to embark on dangerous journeys.”
TRT: 03:58
SOURCE: UNIFEED / UNHCR / UNICEF
RESTRICTIONS: PLEASE SEE SHOTLIST FOR CREDITS
LANGUAGE: ENGLISH / NATS
DATELINE: 28 SEPTEMBER 2023, NEW YORK CITY / FILE
SHOTLIST:
FILE – NEW YORK CITY
1. Wide shot, exterior, United Nations Headquarters
28 SEPTEMBER 2023, NEW YORK CITY
2. Wide shot, Security Council
3. SOUNDBITE (English) Ruven Menikdiwela, Director, New York Office, United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees (UNHCR):
“All Mediterranean States must urgently step up search and rescue efforts and implement effective and predictable disembarkation mechanisms. Saving lives at sea and providing humanitarian assistance is one of the most basic obligations of humanity, and those performing rescue operations or helping in good faith should not be penalized for doing so.”
4. Med shot, Director of UNHCR office in New York sitting
5. SOUNDBITE (English) Ruven Menikdiwela, Director, New York Office, United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees (UNHCR):
“The conditions of thousands of refugees and migrants in both official and unofficial detention facilities in Libya remain of grave concern; UNHCR continues to advocate for the registration of all persons seeking international refugee protection and seeks Libya’s support to ensure access to, and appropriate responses for, them. UNHCR also remains concerned about the disembarkation in Libya of refugees and migrants rescued/intercepted at sea. Libya is not a place of safety for the purposes of disembarkation following rescue at sea.”
6. Med shot, Director of UNHCR office in New York sitting
7. SOUNDBITE (English) Ruven Menikdiwela, Director, New York Office, United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees (UNHCR):
“Italy cannot be left on its own in responding to the needs of the arrivals. UNHCR has repeatedly called for the establishment of an agreed regional disembarkation and redistribution mechanism for people who arrive by sea, in a spirit of responsibility sharing and solidarity with front-line states.”
8. Med shot, Director of UNHCR office in New York sitting
9. SOUNDBITE (English) Ruven Menikdiwela, Director, New York Office, United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees (UNHCR):
“At the core of this approach, there is the recognition of the importance of the right to seek asylum at borders without being turned away or violently pushed back. People should not be prevented from seeking protection under international human rights law and international refugee law.”
10. Med shot, Director of UNHCR office in New York sitting
11. SOUNDBITE (English) Pär Liljert, Director, Office to the United Nations, International Organization for Migration (IOM):
“While significant attention is dedicated to deaths at sea, the stories shared by migrants suggest that several tragedies may be going unnoticed, especially during the
crossing of the Sahara Desert. Despite the emergence of other significant migration routes in recent years, the Central Mediterranean route remains the most dangerous.”
12. Med shot, delegates
13. SOUNDBITE (English) Pär Liljert, Director, Office to the United Nations, International Organization for Migration (IOM):
“Discrimination, xenophobic attacks, and negative narratives against migrants and refugees are unfortunately increasing along the Mediterranean route, and it is a concern. IOM urges all States to ensure the safety and dignity of those within their borders as per applicable international instruments.”
14. Med shot, delegates
15. SOUNDBITE (English) Pär Liljert, Director, Office to the United Nations, International Organization for Migration (IOM):
“As the world is experiencing higher rates of conflict, disasters, and environmental degradation than at any time in the past three decades, compounded by glaring inequalities and increased poverty, we can expect more and more people to embark on perilous journeys.”
16. Med shot, delegates
FILE – PLEASE CREDIT UNHCR ON SCREEN - 18 JUNE 2018, TRIPOLI, LIBYA
17. Wide shot, Mediterranean Sea, port
FILE – PLEASE CREDIT UNHCR ON SCREEN - 17-22 SEPTEMBER 2017, MEDITERRANEAN SEA, 50 MILES OFF THE LIBYAN COAST
18. Close up, children on boat
19. Various shots, migrants boarding, Italian Coast Guard patrol vessel
20. Various shots, migrants on boat
21. Med shot, Italian Coast Guards transferring a child from one boat to another
22. Med shot, migrants at night on a rescue boat
FILE – PLEASE CREDIT UNICEF ON SCREEN - MAY 2016, MEDITERRANEAN SEA, SOUTH OF ITALY
23. Med shot, refugees and migrants reaching out for lifejackets
24. Pan left, refugees and migrants being transported on rescue boat
STORYLINE:
Addressing the Security Council today (28 Sep) about migrants in the Mediterranean, the Head of the UN Refugee Agency (UNHCR) in New York, Ruven Menikdiwela, said, “Saving lives at sea and providing humanitarian assistance is one of the most basic obligations of humanity, and those performing rescue operations or helping in good faith should not be penalized for doing so.”
She stressed, “All Mediterranean States must urgently step up search and rescue efforts and implement effective and predictable disembarkation mechanisms.”
Between January and August 2023, it is estimated that over 102,000 refugees and migrants attempted to cross the Central Mediterranean Sea to Europe from Tunisia - a 260 percent increase compared to last year -- and over 45,000 from Libya.
Thirty-one thousand people were rescued at sea or intercepted and disembarked in Tunisia and 10,600 in Libya.
Departures from Algeria remain limited, with almost 4,700 arrivals in Spain until August 2023, an increase of 18 percent compared to 2022.
Additionally, 3,700 people were rescued/intercepted by the Algerian authorities during the same period, a 68 percent increase.
In total, some 186,000 people arrived from January to 24 September 2023 by sea in Southern Europe (Italy, Greece, Spain, Cyprus, and Malta), with the majority, over 130,000 people arriving in Italy, an increase of 83 percent compared to the same period in 2022.
By September 24th, over 2,500 people in 2023 alone were accounted as dead or missing, an increase of two-thirds, compared with 1,680 people for the same period in 2022.
Menikdiwela said that the conditions of thousands of refugees and migrants in both official and unofficial detention facilities in Libya remain of grave concern.
She added, “UNHCR continues to advocate for the registration of all persons seeking international refugee protection and seeks Libya’s support to ensure access to, and appropriate responses for, them.”
She also said that UNHCR remains concerned about the disembarkation in Libya of refugees and migrants rescued/intercepted at sea.
She stated, “Libya is not a place of safety for the purposes of disembarkation following rescue at sea.”
Menikdiwela also expressed serious concern about the situation in Lampedusa and said, “Italy cannot be left on its own in responding to the needs of the arrivals. UNHCR has repeatedly called for establishing an agreed regional disembarkation and redistribution mechanism for people who arrive by sea, in a spirit of responsibility sharing and solidarity with front-line states.”
As recently emphasized by the UN High Commissioner for Refugees, the challenges of mixed movements of refugees and migrants require a panoramic view of population movements.
This implies moving away from the focus on just controlling arrivals at borders to looking at their geographical complexity - at all steps of the long migratory routes, starting from root causes in countries of origin, which include conflict and violence, interacting with climate change, weak governance, and lack of development.
Menikdiwela said that this approach's core is recognizing “the importance of the right to seek asylum at borders, without being turned away or violently pushed back. People should not be prevented from seeking protection under international human rights law and international refugee law.”
Lives are also lost on land, away from public attention.
Pär Liljert, Director of the IOM Office to the United Nations, highlighted, “While significant attention is dedicated to deaths at sea, the stories shared by migrants suggest that several tragedies may be going unnoticed, especially during the crossing of the Sahara Desert.”
He added, “Despite the emergence of other significant migration routes in recent years, the Central Mediterranean route remains the most dangerous.”
According to Liljert, the impact of the recent upheavals in Sudan that resulted in significant displacement has also become visible in the demography of those arriving in Europe through the Central Mediterranean route.
In August, 1,294 Sudanese arrived in Italy after transiting through Tunisia.
Land crossings from Libya to Tunisia have also increased, with migrants coming directly from Libya to Sfax, Tunisia, and beyond.
He highlighted, “Discrimination, xenophobic attacks, and negative narratives against migrants and refugees are unfortunately increasing along the Mediterranean route, and it is a concern. IOM urges all States to ensure the safety and dignity of those within their borders as per applicable international instruments.”
Liljert also talked about the exacerbating impact of climate change and food insecurity in countries of origin and transit, which affect living conditions and contribute to further displacement and irregular migration.
He concluded, “As the world is experiencing higher rates of conflict, disasters, and environmental degradation than at any time in the past three decades, compounded by glaring inequalities and increased poverty, we can expect more and more people to embark on dangerous journeys.”
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