A family of 36 Syrians has arrived in Switzerland as part of a United Nations resettlement programme in the aftermath of the unrest in their homeland. The refugees are on their way to canton Bern after the last relatives landed safely in Geneva on Wednesday morning.
The family was classified as especially vulnerable by the UN High Commissioner for Refugees (UNHCR), a spokeswoman for the Federal Migration Office told the Swiss News Agency. Their arrival follows Justice Minister Simonetta Sommaruga’s springtime promise that Switzerland would welcome a certain number of refugees from Syria.
According to migration office spokeswoman Gaby Szöllösy, the 36 refugees were granted asylum upon arrival in Switzerland.
More to come
Justice minister Sommaruga has the power to decide whether to accept groups of up to 100 people. The applications of another 40 Syrian refugees are currently under consideration.
However, the total number that Switzerland has agreed to accept has not been made public. Susin Park, head of the Swiss UNHCR office, said this was because a number of Syrians had already been living in Switzerland before the conflict began.
Those arriving now will live in a settlement organised by the UNHCR.
“It’s a protective tool; there is also the question of finding a lasting solution for the refugees,” Park said.