“Lessons should be learned from the positive reception” of Ukrainian refugees, argues France Terre d’Asile

“Lessons should be learned from the positive reception” Ukrainian refugees”so that we can benefit others”, argues Delphine Rouilleault. The director general of France Terre d’Asile draws on Wednesday February 22 on franceinfo a “very positive assessment of the way in which reception operations were organised”, almost a year after the start of the Russian invasion of Ukraine. She recalls that “the government [français] had a goal that no Ukrainian sleeps on the street and he achieved it”. Ukrainian refugees “were taken care of and accommodated either in emergency accommodation centers or with families”.

>> War in Ukraine: France has taken in 106,000 Ukrainian refugees since February 2022

Delphine Rouilleault welcomes the fact that “Ukrainians have benefited from a special status, temporary protection, triggered in a European way”. This status allowed them in particular “to have immediate access to the labor market and to reimbursed health care”. “They have not experienced the obstacle course that political refugees and other migrants experience when they arrive in France”says the director general of France Terre d’Asile.

Delphine Rouilleault is also delighted to “the strong mobilization of rectorates, local authorities and schools” which made it possible to welcome and educate refugee children. She notes that said that Ukrainian refugees face some problems “in the medium term and in terms of integration”in particular because we “does not learn French in a few weeks”. This creates difficulties “access to housing and autonomy”, she adds. If she is happy “the strong mobilization of rectorates, local authorities and schools” which made it possible to welcome and educate refugee children.

“Where there is a political will, there is a way.”

Delphine Rouilleault

on franceinfo

In view of this positive assessment, France Terre d’Asile is now calling on the French authorities to apply the same system to other refugees. Its general manager, Delphine Rouilleault, talks about three lessons to be learned, starting with “organize a first reception for all asylum seekers to prevent the asylum application from starting in the street”she explains, lamenting the fact that currently “Afghan asylum seekers are sleeping rough, while their country is in an absolutely catastrophic situation”.

Delphine Rouilleault also highlights access to employment: “Ukrainians have been granted the right to enter the labor market without the need for specific permission” what “could also benefit everyone”, she says. Finally, the last lesson to be learned according to the Director General of France Terre d’Asile: “the fact that there is no three-month waiting period for reimbursements” care.