ReliefWeb

6,245 migrants and asylum seekers assisted with accommodation (this includes IOM Temporary Reception Centres, centres managed by the State, NGOs and those in private accommodation)

5 Temporary Reception Centres fully operational

SITUATION OVERVIEW

The European Commissioner for Home Affairs, Ylva Johansson, visited Bosnia and Herzegovina (BiH), and together with the EU Ambassador to BiH, Johann Sattler, the Minister of Security, Selmo Cikotić, the Director of Service for Foreigners Affairs (SFA), Slobodan Ujic and IOM Chief of Mission, Laura Lungarotti, visited the Provisional Camp Lipa. They also visited the former Emergency Tent Camp Lipa, and assessed current developments in the context of migration management. The dialogue focused on migration governance reforms, responsibility sharing in the country and the continuous support that the European Union provides for migration management.

Humanitarian partners and the State authorities including the SFA continued to work together to provide improved living conditions to migrants in reception centres throughout the country and provided assistance to those in informal accommodation.

In provisional camp (PC) Lipa, where 750 migrants were accommodated at the end of the reporting period, which is under the management and coordination of Service for Foreigners Affairs (SFA), IOM focused last week on helping repair the street lights, which improved the overall security and safety of the surrounding of PC Lipa. The work on the medical corner with the help of German Federal Agency for Technical Relief (THW) continued. The containers which were donated by SOS Bihac to Dom Zdravlja (Health centre), were set up and the excavation and connection of the sewer pipe line continued. Moreover, SFA carried out activities in cooperation with the local police and transfered 168 migrants from squats in Krajinametal and Dom penzionera (a retirement home) to Lipa, with the support of SOS Bihac and Red Cross.

Finally, the cleaning actions to remove debris and burnt beds caused by the fire in former Lipa was completed by IOM cleaning and maintenance staff, together with partner agencies and the support of a recycling company. Also, pressure water pipes were used to wash the inside and outside of the containers, to remove remains of dirt, smoke and fire trails.

The Temporary Reception Centres (TRC) remain overcrowded, and TRC Blazuj continues to host the highest number of migrants (2,703 on the last day of the reporting period). Although IOM, in coordination with the authorities, suspended registrations in this centre, accommodation was provided to vulnerable individuals, provided beds were available, while unaccompanied and separated children (UASC) were moved to TRC Usivak, when possible. Given that Usivak is also well above its approved capacity, one of the pressing issues pertains to the accommodation of UASC who continue to reside in TRC Blazuj. During the reporting week, the number of UASC in TRC Blazuj was up to 60 a day. UASC in TRC Blazuj continue to not be registered by SFA, which makes them invisible for the relevant authorities as without identification, UASC cannot be assigned a legal guardian.

To continue contribuiting to sustainable solutions in the context of migration management, IOM conducted two Camp Coordination and Camp Management related trainings for the SFA management staff during the reporting period. One on Team Leadership, with the participation of five SFA staff, and one on the distribution of Non-Food Items, which included monitoring and storage management.

The latter training was also provided to Red Cross staff.