How many men, women and children fleeing the war in Ukraine can France receive and house?
“100,000”, or even “more”, affirm, among other things, Gérald Darmanin, Emmanuelle Wargon and Marlène Schiappa, gathered this Monday as part of a meeting of the interministerial crisis unit, responsible for the reception of exiles.
Installed Place Beauvau, the cell must ensure places of accommodation and the aid granted to the refugees, displaced in number since the beginning of the war in Ukraine, on February 24th.
At the end of their meeting, the Ministers of the Interior, Housing and the Citizenship Delegate reaffirmed the country's desire to welcome them.
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More than two weeks after the Russian invasion, around 13,500 migrants from Ukraine have been registered in the territory, after being checked by border police, said Interior Minister Gérald Darmanin.
By way of comparison, this is more than the number of Syrian refugees welcomed 5 years after the war, according to Ofpra.
Until now rather opposed to the reception of refugees, the government multiplies commitments and declarations aimed at guaranteeing the accommodation of displaced persons coming from Ukraine: "We can now welcome up to 100,000" refugees on national territory , repeated Gérald Darmanin.
“It's a big effort that the state and local communities have made.
We continue to work on scenarios where we could accommodate more,” he said during the press briefing.
A “hub” at the Porte de Versailles exhibition center
"We have so far identified around 50,000 places" of accommodation, added Housing Minister Emmanuelle Wargon.
"There are municipal accommodation, proposals from individuals and more temporary solutions such as holiday centers," she explained.
The 100,000 places will be mobilized in “the days to come”, underlined Gérald Darmanin.
To accommodate “a large number of people arriving from Ukraine”, a “hub” which will act as a “single reception place” will be opened in Paris, added the Minister Delegate for Citizenship Marlène Schiappa.
This place, which will be one of the halls of the Porte de Versailles exhibition center, will open on Wednesday morning and will replace the reception point currently in place in the north of the capital, according to Didier Leschi, head of the French Office of immigration and integration (Ofii).
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With "5,000 square meters" it will also allow on-site accommodation for around 500 people, in addition to administrative support, specifies the general manager of Ofii, whose services will be set up on site to activate the temporary protection of displaced persons.
Even if the accommodation promises of individuals remain “to be verified”, the deployment of a hundred thousand places in a few days is “unprecedented”, underlines Didier Leschi.
At this stage, 4,600 displaced persons from Ukraine are benefiting from accommodation in France, indicated Emmanuelle Wargon.
This figure can be explained by the fact that of the 13,500 people listed, some are only passing through to go to other countries.
“800 have already left for Great Britain” and “probably more than a thousand for Spain”, estimated Gérald Darmanin.
France, land of asylum and passage.