Country Level Refugee Contingency Plan Template PPRE
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Country Level Refugee Contingency Plan Template PPRE Annex 7d Introduction: 1 Blue text = Added during the workshop 31 August - 2 September Red text = From existing Government Plan Situation Refugee Contingency Plan – Republic of Macedonia Insert regional or national map here showing key border areas and countries involved. 2 Time period covered 01 September 2015 to 31 De- cember 2015 Version 02.09.2015 Draft Next update due by UNHCR CP Focal Point [Name] [Title] [E-mail] [Tel. number] Forms part of a regional CP? No Regional CP focal point Participating Partners 3 4 1. CONTEXT AND SCENARIOS 1.1. Current context Situation in the Country of Origin In the period between 19 June 2015 and 31 August 2015 by 8.00 am a total of 52,757 certificates have been issued to foreign nationals, out of which 36,417 are men, 7,224 are women and 8,174 are children ac- companied by the certificate holder and to additional 942 unaccompa- nied minors who are issued a certificate of expressed intention for sub- mitting an asylum application. According to the nationality of the individuals who have been issued cer- tificates, 42,723 are Syrians, 2,775 are Afghanis, 2,477 are Iraqis, 1,616 are Pakistanis, 694 are from Palestine, 564 from Somalia, 357 from Bangladesh, 310 from Congo, 188 from Nigeria, 158 from Cameroon, 142 from Eritrea, 109 from Ethiopia and a smaller number from other countries. Since the issuance of certificates has started a total number of 49 asy- lum applications have been submitted to the Asylum Department by 31 August 2015 based on the previously issued certificate. Out of them 36 applications come from Syrian nationals, 10 of which are for children, three applications are from Pakistani and Afghani nationals, 4 of which are for children accompanied by a parent, and two applications from Mo- rocco, Algeria and Iraq each (1 of which is for a child) and one applica- tion from an Egyptian national. There is no encouraging information that the conflicts in the countries of origin of most of the registered individuals will come to an end or to calm down in the near future (6-12 months). The applicants stay for a brief period of time at the Vizbegovo centre and then they leave, but with the winter coming, it is expected to have more people at Vizbegovo. In the course of this past year the Ministry of Interior Section for Asylum has been faced with an increase in the number of submitted asylum ap- plications. Currently the Section for Asylum has 11 advisers working on cases, and as a result of the increased number of applications a need of strengthening the department’s capacity has emerged, including a need of greater technical support. 5 Response capacity and operational context in the refugee receiv- ing country In RM there is one reception centre for asylum seekers and one recep- tion centre for foreigners with insufficient capacities. At the moment at the northern and the southern border there are assis- tance points for refugees. At the southern border there is registration point for migrants. The registration is done by the border police that is- sue certificates for expressed intention to apply for asylum. The MZMP is also involved in the process of registration. Apart from the police the Rapid Reaction Unit, PEP, ARM and the police unit with general competences are also present. At the northern border there is an assistance point for refugees, but they stay there for a short period of time because their goal is to cross the Macedonian-Serbian border. The Red Cross teams provide first aid; emergency medical service am- bulance, from the public health institution, organize the transport to med- ical institutions, as well 24/7 health care in the public health institution; distribute humanitarian packages with food, water and hygiene items as well as baby packages. The Red Cross volunteers also take part in the logistical support at the point. The Macedonian Railway Company participates in the process of trans- porting the refugees from Gevgelija to Tabanovce along with some other transportation companies. The other involved entities are from the NGO sector (Legis, Nun, La Strada, etc.) and from the cooperative sector (ProCredit Bank), distrib- uting additional humanitarian assistance on daily basis. At the beginning teams from the Ministry of Health vaccinated the refu- gees on voluntary basis. According to the available information from the field, the medical teams from the MH are present at the Refugees Reg- istration Centre. Shortcomings: • Insufficient accommodation capacities at the southern border (in- sufficient number of toilets and taps with drinking water); • Insufficient human resources helping with the reception and regis- tration process of the refugees and insufficient technical support (physically present but not functioning); 6 • Insufficient number of medical teams (the representatives from the MH made a remark that the information about their representation on the field was not true i.e. that they had teams in the field); • Shortage of means of transformation for the refugees (trains, bus- es); • Insufficient number of interpreters and translators; • Improving the coordination and the communication among the key players; • Improved planning for the everyday basic needs, distribution of the assistance as well as the fiscal implications; • Maybe one should think about improving the registration process by acquiring more information from the people in regard to their profile, intentions, etc. The difference between the registered and unregistered persons – maybe here is the answer to the issues re- lated to the profile of these people ???? Can the numbers and the structure of the individuals registered in Serbia provide us with an answer? Legislation: - Law on Asylum and Temporary Protection - Law on Foreigners - Law in Crisis Management - Criminal Code - Law on Misdemeanors - Laws regulating health care and environment protection - Bilateral and regional agreements and treaties (readmission, fighting migrant smuggling and human trafficking) 1.2. Planning Scenario The Government of FYR Macedonia’s “Operational Plan in Case of In- creased Influx of Migrants” outlines three scenarios: 1. First scenario when there is continued influx of migrants who stay in the country for a short period of time; 2. Second scenario when the migrants stay longer in the country (up to 1,000 on top of the existing caseload) that includes construction of a new asylum seekers reception centre with 1,000 beds, estab- 7 lished at a plot on the territory of the Municipality of Kumanovo near the highway; 3. Third scenario additional 2000 people should be received thus in- creasing the Asylum Seekers Reception Centre’s capacity to 3000 people. 4. Risk Analysis for Refugee Mass Movements This is based on the first scenario from the Government of FYR Mace- donia’s “Operational Plan in Case of Increased Influx of Migrants” when there is continued influx of migrants who stay in the country for a short period of time. The scenario envisages establishing "help points for the migrants” in Gevgelija and Kumanovo near the railway stations. It will be applied in a situation when the migrants that enter the territory of the Republic of Macedonia express intention to apply for asylum and leave the territory of the State within 72 hours, but they do not gather at the northern border. The presence of migrants at the northern border must not be more than 300 people in a period of 3 days. ✓ The situation in the main country of origin (Syria) is not improving, the instability in Turkey also continues, thus the refugees continue to leave Turkey and Greece and to enter Macedonia. With the end of the summer holiday season, it is expected that more boats will be at disposal to the refugees in Greece and Turkey, thus the daily arrival rate in Macedonia is very likely to increase. ✓ Given the fact that the country is already facing a number of 3,000 persons transiting on a daily basis, the group work focuses on the “worst case” scenario, i.e. closing of the border with the Serbia and daily increase of the number of refugees by 3,000 persons. ✓ Provide a brief narrative on the possible worst case and best case scenarios, in terms of possible developments in the country of origin (two paragraphs max.). Best case scenario: The flow continues and the borders remain open 8 Worst case scenario: Borders are closed and 30,000 refugees remain in the country, desperate to leave. The country is undergoing a political crisis and elections are scheduled for April 2016. With the winter sea- son approaching, it is very likely that the challenges to meet the needs of the refugees will increase. Planning Scenario - Key reason(s) this scenario was chosen for CP. Usually, planners would choose the most likely scenario. In some cases, the context may require to plan for the scenario with the greatest impact, or to plan for responses not covered by existing protocols and plans. This “worst case” scenario was selected due to the high risk of closing of the border between Serbia and Hungary (a fence at the border is be- ing set up) and there is slow progress in the defining of a common EU approach in response to the refugee crisis. While the Serbian au- thorities have a larger capacity to control the border and also receive support from Austria and Hungary in terms of border management, the Macedonian authorities have a smaller capacity to control the border; thus, more people would come in and less would leave the country. Additional potential hot spots would be the borderlines with Albania (Debar-Struga region) and Bulgaria (Strumica, Berovo and Kriva Palanka region/borderline).