Cultural mediators to support the Italian police and migration authorities
Local news,
21.08.2023
In 2023, Italy has been facing a high number of disembarkations. In order to facilitate communication between migrants, police and migration authorities, Italy works together with cultural mediators. Switzerland finances the deployment of cultural mediators with the Rapid Response Fund of the Second Swiss Contribution.
In 2023, the number of migrants crossing the Mediterranean Sea and arriving in Italy has increased, mainly through the Central Mediterranean route (Tunisia, Libya). Other arrivals have been recorded also through the Eastern Mediterranean route (Türkiye) and the Balkan route (Slovenia). Between January and July 2023, more than 89'000 people arrived in Italy over sea. This represents an increase of 115 % compared with the same period last year. 12 % of all persons arriving are unaccompanied children.
Law enforcement staff at borders needs qualified supporting teams that are able to quickly communicate with migrants and inform them about procedures, while ensuring that migrants’ rights and protection needs are respected and taken into consideration. Over the past years, the presence of qualified staff from the International Organisation for Migration (IOM) has contributed to the good border management and fostered dialogue both with migrants and neighbouring authorities in the daily case management.
Project objectives
The project aims to improve and speed up identification and asylum procedures in Italy as well as to ensure that migrants receive appropriate treatment, giving special attention to vulnerable persons such as unaccompanied minors and victims of trafficking.
Project description
Country / Region
Topic
Period
Budget
Italy
Immediate support to identification and registration of migrants, including asylum-seekers at border police and immigration offices.
01.08.2023 – 30.11.2023
CHF 727 000
Project description
Project activities
56 cultural mediators are deployed in different regions of Italy, in locations with particularly high number of arrivals. They facilitate communication between authorities and migrants during identification and registration procedures that follow the emergency disembarkation events at Southern maritime disembarkation points, at the entry points across land borders in the Northern Regions as well as the asylum claims processed in the local police offices. Vulnerable migrants identified at the entry points will be properly assisted by the cultural mediators and referred to either the immigration office or the local referral system (social services, anti-trafficking network, reception centres for unaccompanied minors, shelters, etc.) to ensure adequate follow-up and protection.
Article,
30.06.2023
Switzerland is allocating CHF 1.302 billion towards projects under its Second Contribution to selected EU member states. The bulk of Switzerland's Second Contribution (CHF 1.102 billion) is earmarked for projects aimed at reducing economic and social disparities in the 13 states that have joined the EU since 2004. Of this amount, around CHF 400 million is reserved for projects in the field of environmental and climate protection for the benefit of Bulgaria, Croatia, Latvia, Poland, Romania, the Czech Republic, Slovakia, Slovenia and Hungary.
For the approval and implementation of projects in the environmental and climate protection sector, SECO is looking for advisory experts with specific expertise in the following 5 areas for the period 2024-2029:
Water and wastewater management
Energy management in municipalities
Energy efficiency and renewable energies
Mobility, transport and urban planning
Remediation of contaminated sites and disposal of hazardous substances.
The backstopping services are to be procured in an open tendering procedure broken down into 5 thematic lots.
The tender will be published on simap.ch on 14 August 2023.
N.B.: The invitation to tender will be issued in accordance with the Public Procurement Act (PPA, SR 172.056.1). This means that there will be no communication between potential bidders and the contracting authority. Questions may be submitted in the forum on simap.ch during the tender.
