LA VALLETTA (MALTA) (ITALPRESS/MNA) – Only 287 migrants are actually residing in Maltàs open reception centres according to the latest quarterly report compiled by the United Nations High Commission for Refugees. This, is despite that the seven open reception centres may accommodate up to 2,964 migrants.
According to the data on the situation of asylum-seekers and refugees in Malta between 1 January and 30 April 2023, half of the population in the reception centres are adult males, 65% of those who live in ?al-Far Tent Village alone. The top 3 countries of origin identified in the open centres are Eritreans (16%), Sudanese (15%) and Somali (13%) nationals.
The majority of asylum-seekers and refugees manage to find their own place and live in the community, rather than in open centres. According to the UNCHR, 212 individuals living in the community benefit from social assistance. Syrians (33%), Libyans (16%) and Ukrainians (9%) are the main beneficiaries of assistance while living in the community.
In Malta, there are seven reception centres, five of which are run by the Agency for the Welfare of Asylum Seekers. Reception centres provide asylum-seekers with accommodation until they are able to find accommodation.
The open centres are different to detention centres, where migrants are detained automatically upon arrival and prevented from leaving the centres until they are allowed to move to reception centres. In Malta, there are three official detention centres.
The report also provides information on sea arrivals between 1 January and 30 April. According to the data provided, there were 92 migrants reached Malta, including two medical evacuations, while during the same period in 2022, only one person arrived in Malta by sea. All individuals who arrived in 2023 were male and departed from Libya. The new arrivals were Bangladeshi (75), Egyptian (11), and Sudanese (5) origin. The nationality of one person is unknown as the Maltese authorities were not able to officially register him due to his medical condition. All the migrants who arrived in Malta, excluding one migrant, arrived in April.
credit photo agenziafotogramma.it
(ITALPRESS).
