Albania, 24 July 2020. In the framework of the EU-funded project “Addressing COVID-19 Challenges within the Migrant and Refugee Response in the Western Balkans”, implemented by the International Organization for Migration (IOM) and the United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees (UNHCR), Albania’s Border and Migration Police received today a donation of 57,000 pieces of personal protective equipment against COVID-19 worth 25,500 euro. The donation has been made possible thanks to the contribution of the European Union’s Foreign Policy Instruments (FPI) and was handed over by  IOM during a ceremony on the premises of the General Directorate of the Albanian State Police.

“IOM Albania, with the support of EU and other has been monitoring and addressing the challenges of COVID-19, as well as assisting the border management institutions  to face the new challenges of this pandemic and enabling them to better assist migrants, asylum seekers and refugees in the Balkans,” says Ms. Alma Jani, IOM Albania Head of Office.

The donation includes gloves, masks, face shields, hand sanitisers, disinfection pumps and other equipment, which will be used by border police officers and personnel working at migrant reception facilities and border crossing points. “We are very grateful to the European Union and IOM for this equipment, which will contribute to protect front-line workers and ensure we can continue provide services to migrants, asylum seekers and refugees in a safe manner” said the Director of Department for Border and Migration Police.

The project “Addressing COVID-19 challenges within the Migrant and Refugee Response in the Western Balkans” responds to the challenges generated by the COVID-19 pandemic in border and migration management. It aims at ensuring that asylum and migration management systems remain operational and that the risk of transmission of COVID-19 among migrants, asylum seekers and refugees in the Western Balkans is reduced.

This EU-funded regional project is running from April 2020 until July 2021 with an overall envelope of 8 million Euro. It completes the bilateral donations from the EU to Albania which amount to 4 million EUR and that intends to provide specialized medical equipment and devices for the treatment and prevention of COVID-19 in Albania. In particular, with reference to personal protective equipment, the EU emergency supply contract has already delivered 109,250 pairs of gloves, 1,000 liters of hand sanitizer, 1,000 face shields and 1,000 protective goggles.  

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For further information on the project, please contact IOM Albania at infotirana@iom.int.