GENEVA / MEDITERRANEAN MIGRANTS

In its latest report on migrants, the IOM (International Migration Organization) estimated 206,400 migrants and refugees entered Europe by sea in 2016. The agency said the number of fatalities this year was especially worrisome, with nearly 1,000 more deaths in the first five months - “and last year was the deadliest year on record.” UNTV CH

• Categories: News & Features / News Stories / Unifeed
• Video Length: 00:02:39
• Production Date: 7 June 2016
• Asset Language: English
• Corporate Name: INTERNATIONAL ORGANIZATION FOR MIGRATION - IOM; UNITED NATIONS HIGH COMMISSIONER FOR REFUGEES - UNHCR
• Subject Topical: MIGRANTS; REFUGEES
• Geographic Subject: EUROPE; MEDITERRANEAN SEA
• MAMS Id: 1637572
• Parent Id: 1637572
• Alternate Title: unifeed160607a

Description

STORY: GENEVA / MEDITERRANEAN MIGRANTS
TRT: 02:39
SOURCE: UNTV CH
RESTRICTIONS: NONE
LANGUAGE: ENGLISH / NATS

DATELINE: 7 JUNE 2016, GENEVA, SWITZERLAND

Shotlist

FILE - GENEVA, SWITZERLAND

1. Aerial shot, Palais des Nations

7 JUNE 2016, GENEVA, SWITZERLAND

2. Wide shot, press briefing room
3. SOUNDBITE (English) Joel Millmann, Spokesperson, International Organization for Migration (IOM):
“If you compare five months to five months, we are almost at 1,000 more deaths through 5 months of this year than we were last year and last year was the deadliest year we know on record. And almost all of that – it is remarkable how tilted it is – we have 2,427 deaths in that route and only 376 in the eastern Mediterranean route to Greece. So we are talking about a difference of over 2,000 deaths actually between those two routes”.
4. Rack focus, from microphone to journalists
5. SOUNDBITE (English) Adrian Edwards, Spokesperson, United Nations High Commission for Refugees (UNHCR):
“We have had 2,804 deaths so far this year by the numbers we have; remember that last year it was 3,771 for a whole year. We now have since the start of 2014, when this phenomenon of rising numbers crossing Mediterranean happened, 10,000 deaths. That threshold has been crossed just in the last few days which is extremely disturbing”.
6. Medium shot, journalists
7. SOUNDBITE (English) Joel Millmann, Spokesperson, International Organization for Migration (IOM):
“Regarding the arrivals through the first months of this year, they are running actually 2,000 below this time last year but still pretty close for the year in general. And we have pointed out through the first five months of last year, 3,733 Syrians who arrived in Italy from Libya, this year through the first five months it is 135. So we can honestly say that the closing of the Balkan route this moment has not resulted in a large arrival number of Syrians using the Libyan route. I mean 135 is probably less than 30 other countries.
8. Close up, Spokesperson
9. SOUNDBITE (English) Joel Millmann, Spokesperson, International Organization for Migration (IOM):
“We are very concerned about the number of increase of unaccompanied minors and the substantial increase of minors coming from Gambia, Egypt, Ivory Coast and Guinea which together accounted for 3,274 unaccompanied minors, nearly half the total. Whereas last year during this period fewer than 500 minors originated from the same countries; so we are talking almost a seven time increase.”
10. Close up, logo
11. SOUNDBITE (English) Joel Millmann, Spokesperson, International Organization for Migration (IOM):
“For the moment we can conclude that the smuggling is more reckless this year than it was last year and that would explain the higher casualties”.
12. Wide shot, press briefing room
13. Close up, journalists

Storyline

The International Organization for Migration (IOM) said over 206,000 migrants and refugees have entered Europe by sea this year arriving to Italy, Greece, Cyprus and Spain.

IOM Spokesperson Joel Millmann told reporters in Geneva today (7 Jun), the number of fatalities on the Mediterranean Sea was especially worrisome in 2016. He said there were almost 1,000 more death this year compared to the first five months of last year.

Millmann said compared to the 3,733 Syrians who arrived to Italy from Libya last year, only 135 arrived this year. He said, “We can honestly say that the closing of the Balkan route this moment has not resulted in a large arrival number of Syrians using the Libyan route. I mean 135 is probably less than 30 other countries.”

IOM was particularly concerned regarding the protection minors who are at higher risk of exploitation and trafficking. Millmann noted a sharp rise in the numbers of unaccompanied children crossing the Mediterranean trying to join family members in Europe. He said there was a substantial increase in the number of minors coming from Gambia, Egypt, Ivory Coast and Guinea which together accounted for 3,274 unaccompanied minors, “nearly half the total. Whereas last year during this period fewer than 500 minors originated from the same countries; so we are talking almost a seven time increase.”

Millman said, “For the moment we can conclude that the smuggling is more reckless this year than it was last year and that would explain the higher casualties”.