ReliefWeb

The number of refugees and migrants from Venezuela in Colombia reached 1.6 million by the end of October, according to official figures from Colombia Migration. The population has required and continues to require humanitarian action with a two-fold approach: on the one hand, addressing the immediate needs of the population in the short term, and, on the other hand, implementing sustainable initiatives as a long-term strategy. With this background, the Interagency Group on Mixed Migratory Flows (GIFMM, by its Spanish acronym) was formed, which is currently composed of 61 members at the national level and coordinates the humanitarian response for Venezuelan refugees and migrants, Colombian returnees, and host communities. In addition to the national level, the platform includes eight local GIFMMs covering 11 departments, from which assistance is also provided to target populations, complementing the Colombian state’s response, and a back to back system is utilised in close coordination with the Humanitarian Country Team.