EU proposes scheme to shift 50,000 refugees

The European Commission has released a $500m fund ($90m) that will be used to support member states, which are free to participate voluntarily, in the scheme of refugee shift.

“While moving from Turkey and the Middle East will continue, great attention must also be paid to the displacement of vulnerable persons from Libya, Egypt, Nigeria, Sudan, Chad and Ethiopia”, the European Commission said.

The shift scheme is managed by the United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees (UNHCR)'s office, which selects refugees who have a continuing need for international protection. In 2016, the principal beneficiaries of UNHCR-launched displacement programmes were refugees from Syria, the Democratic Republic of Congo, Iraq and Somalia.