Over the course of the eight-day mission, the delegation met with Turkish authorities in the towns of Aksaray, Kayseri and Van, and with the Ankara offices of the International Organization for Migration (IOM) and the UN High Commissioner for Refugees (UNHCR). The delegation also spent time speaking with local NGOs and members of the resident refugee community, who expressed a variety of concerns relating to current living conditions and the resettlement process.

Joined by ICMC Overseas Processing Entity (OPE) Director, Linda Samardzic and ICMC US Liaison Officer, Jane Bloom, the mission delegation included Rusty Ingraham, Regional Refugee Coordinator/US State Department Bureau of Population, Refugees and Migration, and Fatih Sisli of the American Embassy in Ankara.

The delegation applauded the effective engagement of the local authorities in communities such as Van, where increased engagement with the police seems to have vastly improved daily living conditions and local integration possibilities for refugees. At the same time, the delegation noted with concern that many continue to face serious challenges.

Approximately 17,000 refugees and asylum seekers in Turkey are registered with UNHCR, representing increasingly diverse countries of origin. In 2009, refugees in Turkey included Iraqis (42%), Iranians (26%), Afghanis (18%), and individuals from Africa (11%), among other nationalities.

For refugees in situations of particular vulnerability, resettlement to the US and other countries remains an important means of achieving protection, allowing some of the most vulnerable to rebuild their lives, and regain a sense of hope for the future.

The ICMC OPE in Istanbul prepares resettlement applications and facilitates the departure of those accepted for resettlement to the US by preparing security clearances, and by providing cultural orientation classes, medical examinations and follow-up.

In 2009 alone, ICMC Turkey personally supported 29% of all Iraqi refugees accepted for resettlement in the United States, and nearly 10% of the total number of people newly welcomed into the country through resettlement processes. Over the course of 2009, the number of vulnerable refugees departing through ICMC’s OPE programme increased by more than 150%, as compared to 2008.

To learn more about ICMC and its work in refugee resettlement, please see: www.icmc.net<.

ICMC joins US officials in promoting refugee resettlement to the US (349.15 KB)