New settlement for refugees – Other uses: Fewer Ukrainians, more unaccompanied minors – News


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Basel opens a new container settlement for refugees. When it comes to occupancy, the canton is reacting to the changed migration situation.

It was actually planned differently: The new container settlement was planned for people from the Ukraine who were seeking protection. But there are now enough places for them. However, the number of unaccompanied minors seeking asylum (UMA), especially from Afghanistan and Turkey, has increased significantly in recent months.

That is why such young people will also live in the containers in the Erlenmatt district. In total, the settlement can accommodate up to 140 people.

Not everyone is happy about this change of use. That is why we are also organizing a meeting for the local residents.

These rooms would also be suitable for UMA from Afghanistan and Turkey, even if it wasn’t planned that way: “We planned the settlement last year because of the Ukraine crisis. The migration situation has changed significantly since then. That’s why we have created a residential group here especially for UMA,” says Kaspar Sutter (SP), head of the Department of Economics, Social Affairs and Environment (WSU).

Strong changes in the countries of origin


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The origin of refugees in Switzerland has developed differently than expected. According to the State Secretariat for Migration (SEM), 1,651 asylum applications were registered in Switzerland in April 2023.

The most important countries of origin for people who submitted an asylum application were Turkey and Afghanistan.

Number of refugees from Ukraine hits record low

In the same month, Switzerland granted protection status S 1209 times to vulnerable persons from Ukraine. This is the lowest number since the outbreak of war, as reported by the SEM. Most applications were granted in March, April and May 2022. More than 10,000 people received protection status S in each of these months. Since then, the number of applications granted has decreased.

At the end of April, a total of 65,644 refugees from Ukraine with protection status S were living in Switzerland. In 11,204 cases, the status has already ended since it was granted.

Over 2000 applications completed

In April, the SEM processed a total of 2035 asylum applications. 385 people were granted asylum and 621 people were provisionally admitted. In 714 cases, the request was not accepted. The main reason for this was the Dublin Agreement.

The aluminum living containers are located on the site of a new Basel city quarter. They are divided into four-bed rooms, each with its own bathroom. The approximately 25 square meter rooms have two double beds. There are also two dining and lounge rooms with a built-in kitchen on each floor. The construction costs for the settlement amount to around 13 million Swiss francs.

Pedagogical supervision and security service

From mid-June, the first UMA will move into the new Basel container settlement. The fact that the first residents were mainly young people from Afghanistan and Turkey also caused criticism in the neighborhood. “Not everyone is happy about this change in use. That is why we are also organizing a meeting for the local residents. We want to answer questions and address concerns, »says the responsible government councilor Sutter.

In addition to looking after the UMA, a security service will also patrol at night.

The settlement is monitored around the clock. Renata Gäumann, Basel asylum coordinator, adds: “In addition to looking after the UMA, a security service will also patrol at night.” The UMA are accommodated on the Erlenmatt site in residential groups with socio-educational support. The first group of ten people will start in mid-June. The other refugees, i.e. adults and families, will arrive from July, adds Gäumann.

Up to 140 people can live in the new container settlement


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The container settlement for refugees on Basel’s Erlenmattplatz will be inhabited from mid-June. 75 people seeking protection from Ukraine and other countries as well as 25 unaccompanied minors seeking asylum (UMA) are accommodated there.

In total, the settlement can accommodate up to 140 people. Depending on the development of migration figures, the residential modules would be used for three to a maximum of five years.

Four objections were received against the settlement, as project manager Roman Sladek said. However, these were withdrawn after clarifying talks on the construction project. This was also one of the reasons why the project could be implemented relatively quickly.

School room next to the housing estate

Next to the housing estate there is also a school container. Classes are already taking place there. These are introductory groups for the upper secondary level. Not only refugees, but also other young people who have moved here attend German classes there.

The container also offers space for a kindergarten and a primary school class. Originally, the classroom was intended for the children of Ukrainian families. However, their number is not as large as last year, as government councilor Sutter says.

source site-72