The International Organization for Migration (IOM) says more than 229,000 Haitians have either returned voluntarily or deported from the Dominican Republic to neighboring Haiti since June 2015.
“Since the expiration of the registration period for the National Regularization Plan of Foreigners (NRPF) in June 2015, IOM has recorded that more than 229,885 Haitian migrants (as of September 28, 2017) who voluntarily returned or were deported from the Dominican Republic to Haiti,” said Bernard Lami, Deputy Chief of the IOM Mission in Haiti.
Arriving in precarious conditions
He said this figure highlights the extensive assistance needs that exist throughout the border region in order to help vulnerable migrants, particularly women and children, noting “the majority of which arrive in precarious conditions” that is without access to resources, separated from their families, undernourished, and exhausted from spending several days in Dominican detention centers.
The IOM, with the financial support of the Canadian government, has implemented an assistance project for migrants entitled, “Assisting Vulnerable Children and Women in the Border areas between Haiti and Dominican Republic.”
Border Resource Center
Last Thursday, the IOM in coordination with the Mayor of Belladère, opened its second Border Resource Center (BRC) and that a third BRC will be inaugurated next week in Malpasse.
The IOM said that a fourth is currently under construction in Ouanaminthe while the BRC in Anse-à-Pîtres has been operational since June 2017.
The IOM said that these structures allow a better identification, guidance and assistance to vulnerable migrants, while providing an equipped coordination space to foster the reinforcement of synergies between local protection actors.
