Between October and December 2013 IOM, in cooperation with its partners, resettled 120 refugees from the Emergency Transit Centre (ETC) in Humenné to the United States of America. Out of these 120 refugees, 78 were resettled in November which is the highest number of refugees resettled in one month since the Centre was opened in August 2009. The ETC serves to accommodate refugees who found themselves in a difficult situation and were accepted into the program of humanitarian transfers. The refugees were evacuated to the Slovak Republic which provided them with a temporary shelter for a period of 6 months. In safe conditions of the Centre the refugees will complete all necessary preparations, after which they will be resettled to a country that accepts them and offers them an opportunity to start a new life.

The photo is for illustrative purposes only, IOM Slovakia

The humanitarian transfer of refugees through the territory of the Slovak Republic is organized based on the trilateral treaty between the Government of Slovakia, the UN High Commissioner for Refugees (UNHCR) and IOM. IOM is responsible for the transportation of refugees from refugee camps to Slovakia and from Slovakia to the country of resettlement, and it also provides medical examinations and cultural orientation for refugees.

Activities of IOM in the project of Humanitarian Transfer of Refugees are financed by the by the US Government through its USRAP Program – United States Refugee Admissions Program, or by similar programs of other resettlement countries.