As EU leaders meet in Malta to discuss how to tackle the flow of refugees and migrants to Europe, former UK foreign secretary and current head of the International Rescue Committee NGO, David Miliband teamed up with Maltese MEP Roberta Metsola in an international appeal for the EU to step in after the US refused to resettle refugees who had already been approved and vetted.
“Malta knows better than most what it feels like for boats to arrive on the shoreline, carrying people fleeing war and poverty in search of a better life. But now, 60,000 of the 110,000 refugees who had been promised resettlement places in the United States in 2017 have been left abandoned.
“These are people who are fleeing war and persecution, some of whom have particular needs such as medical conditions that can’t be treated in the countries currently hosting them. The majority are women and children. All have been through extensive security vetting procedures, some lasting up to 36 months. Their lifelines have gone.
These are people who are fleeing war and persecution
“This creates an opportunity for Europe and for Prime Minister Joseph Muscat as he convenes his European colleagues in Malta. Europe certainly has its own refugee and migration challenges to address. The need remains great for measures to end the tragedy of people drowning in the Mediterranean, to tackle the smugglers that profit from the deaths of those who don’t make it, and to improve conditions within countries that receive those who do arrive on their shores.
“But Europe can also step up to address the shortfall in resettlement places. It’s an opportunity to show the world that Europe means business when it comes to protecting vulnerable refugees who have suffered the very worst of humanity. ” said Mr Miliband and Dr Metsola.
“Many would argue that Europe has already done its bit for refugees and that Europe is buckling under the strain. Let’s be clear: there is still a big and important job to do to process asylum applications and integrate those refugees who have arrived since 2015. And no one pretends that resettlement is the ‘answer’ to the refugee crisis. Most refugees are in developing countries and need better aid there to help promote dignity and independence. But resettlement is part of the package,” they said.
Resettlement involves extensive planning and vetting of refugees who are accepted on the programme. In the US, resettled refugees are health-screened and security-screened by a host of different government agencies over months and in many cases years.
“In the past two weeks we’ve seen vast crowds come out on the streets of Europe, protesting against the policies of the new US Administration, labelling them dangerous and inhumane. By taking refugee resettlement seriously, Europe’s leaders have a chance to show they are different,” Mr Miliband and Dr Metsola said.