A total of 120 refugees from Sudan and the Central African Republic were resettled to France through the International Organization for Migration (IOM), according to a statement published by the UN agency on December 1. The refugees left N'Djamena (Chad) with a chartered flight on November 25.
Over the past week, starting on November 27, the International Organization for Migration (IOM) facilitated the resettlement of 120 refugees from Sudan and the Central African Republic (CAR) to France.
The UN agency said in a statement published on December 1 that the refugees included 65 women and 55 men who left N'Djamena (Chad) on a chartered flight last Friday.
"Many had spent more than 10 years in Chad, awaiting a chance to be resettled and restart their lives," the statement noted.
COVID-19 protocol respected
During the resettlement operation, all COVID-19 protocols were respected, including PCR-testing to COVID-19 prior to departure. In addition to coronavirus screening, the refugees were tested for medical conditions and received in-depth pre-departure orientation to ensure their integration process goes as smoothly as possible, IOM said.
Upon arrival to France, the refugees were welcomed by French NGOs that will provide administrative and social support for a one-year period, the agency said.
'Resettlement is a unique opportunity'
"Resettlement offers refugees a unique opportunity to rebuild their lives in dignity," said Anne Schaefer, IOM Chad chief of mission.
"It is thus an important part of finding durable solutions to refugee situations, of which we are proud to participate."
With more than 480,000 refugees living in 14 camps and several urban centers, Chad is one of the largest refugee-hosting countries in West and Central Africa, the UN agency noted.
In 2020, IOM in Chad resettled 312 refugees from Sudan and the Central African Republic to France, Australia, Canada, Sweden and Norway.