At least 140 Afghan refugees are at Guarulhos International Airport, in São Paulo, awaiting reception.
In an interview with CNN Rádio, on CNN no Plural, the spokesman for UNHCR in Brazil Luiz Fernando Godinho said that the entity seeks quick solutions for these people to find shelter.
“We have been working with the public sector and civil society to expand shelter, which is the most immediate response that can be given to them,” he said.
He explained that the shelter services are working at their maximum capacity and, therefore, people who arrive remain at the airport, with no alternative at this time.
There are already about 6,200 visas authorized and more than 2,300 entries registered by the Federal Police.
According to Godinho, Afghanistan is going through a “very serious crisis”, with a combination of other problems.
“There is food insecurity, the effects of climate change, there is a ‘perfect storm,’ and a lot of people have left the country.”
Godinho argues that “Brazil has responded to this, since September last year the country has regulated the issuance of temporary entry visas and residence permits.”
The UNHCR spokesperson recalls that refugee people “have all the ability to contribute to the society that welcomes them, and bring experience and expertise.”
According to Luiz Fernando, it is important to keep in mind that refugees “do not all work in the same way, each one has its own story.”
“As a general rule, those who arrive, once they look for support networks, go through a needs analysis and, within our resources, we offer different types of support for reintegration”, he added.
In this first moment of reception, the NGOs with which UNHCR works offer personalized work.
“So they can understand where they are and plan what they will do, with cultural mediators, there are Afghan people we hire to explain what Brazil is, what customs, laws and rights are.”
*With production by Isabel Campos
Source: CNN Brasil
