A group of 96 irregular migrants were yesterday assisted by IOM to
leave Malta for Germany where they will begin new lives, under a
special humanitarian status.

The relocation of the group, which consists of 88 adults and 8
children from Somalia, Sudan, Eritrea, Sierra Leone, is part of a
pilot intra-EU Relocation of Refugees from Malta (EUREMA)
programme. It aims to relocate people with some form of
international protection from the small Mediterranean country to
other EU Member States in a bid to help relieve some of the
pressures Malta faces due to demographics and its geographic
location that puts it at the sharp end of migration routes to
Europe.

This group of 96 people will be relocated across all of the
sixteen Federal States of Germany.

As part of the project, which is carried out in close
coordination with the relevant government authorities, the UN High
Commissioner for Refugees (UNHCR) and non-governmental
organizations (NGOs), IOM provided a 5-hour pre-departure
orientation class for the group to help develop realistic
expectations of their new lives in Germany.  IOM will also
assist the group during boarding procedures.

Upon their arrival in Germany, the group was met at the airport
by representatives of the Federal States who will accompany the
individuals to their final destinations and help them with their
accommodation.

Integration services consisting of extensive language classes
and information sessions about life in German society, the legal
system, culture and history of the country will be provided to all
of those relocated.

The 96 had been accorded subsidiary protection in Malta where
they had arrived by boat and had spent up to six years in the
country living either in open centres or in private
accommodation.

The pilot relocation project complements the European Pact on
Immigration and Asylum agreed in October 2008. The movement of the
humanitarian cases constitutes the largest intra-European
relocation with IOM support so far under the project.

For further information, please contact:

Eleonora Servino

IOM Malta

Tel: +356 21374613

E-mail: "mailto:eservino@iom.int">eservino@iom.int