Enhancing Greece’s capacity to manage migration emergencies

The European Commission is supporting the Greek Reception and Identification Service of the Ministry for Migration and Asylum in increasing its capacity and readiness to manage emergencies in the migrant reception and accommodation facilities across the country. 

Context

The 2020 Moria fires in the island of Lesvos in Greece highlighted the need to improve capacities to prevent and respond to emergencies, including for health crises, extensive violence and major natural hazards. Such events have also rendered emergency preparedness as key towards ensuring the reception system’s resilience over time, while at the same time reflect the need for developing an integrated crisis management system.

Support delivered

The Commission, in collaboration with the International Organization for Migration (IOM), is supporting the Greek Ministry for Migration and Asylum in:  

• Building an information management system to monitor risks for all reception and accommodation facilities; 
• Designing an emergency management manual for staff deployed in reception and accommodation facilities. 
• Gaining expertise on key concepts and tools of emergency management, through capacity building trainings; 
• Developing local contingency plans for all active reception and accommodation facilities, building upon the national emergency plan; 
• Organising civil protection exercises to test the effectiveness of local contingency plans in practice.  

Results achieved

The project will result in improving capacities for risk assessment, crisis management and cross-sectoral coordination on emergencies while also helping to ensure an efficient use of resources. Ultimately, the project will contribute towards reducing exposure to risk and minimizing the potential humanitarian, development and socio-economic impacts of a sudden disaster or crisis. 

More about the project

More information about the project on the IOM website.