From evacuation to integration: Denys Uliutin and UN High Commissioner for Refugees Barham Salih discuss cooperation

Minister of Social Policy, Family and Unity of Ukraine, Denys Uliutin, held a meeting with the UN High Commissioner for Refugees, Barham Salih, at a transit centre in Zaporizhzhia. The parties discussed cooperation in the field of evacuation, support for internally displaced persons (IDPs), and the development of systemic solutions within the framework of the IDP Support Strategy.

The Minister emphasized the transition from ad hoc decisions to a structured, people-centered evacuation model. In particular, this includes the introduction of pre-registration and primary needs assessment at the stage of evacuation, rather than only after arrival at the place of accommodation.

“We have set a clear target: at least 75% of evacuated persons should receive a primary needs assessment within the first 72 hours. In addition, it is important to ensure a clear understanding of the next steps, as in many cases awareness of the final destination of evacuation becomes a key factor in the decision to leave,” Denys Uliutin stated.

According to him, transit centres should not become bottlenecks, but rather serve as points of swift transition to integration. The parties also focused on the preparation of temporary accommodation, in particular, collective centres. The priority is to locate such accommodation in central regions of the country in order to reduce the risk of repeated displacement, avoid the concentration of vulnerable groups near frontline areas, and create more stable conditions for integration.

A separate part of the meeting was devoted to the use of the redesigned Humanitarian and Resilience Account to provide early cash support during evacuation. In addition, the funds are planned to be used for top-up payments, emergency cash assistance, and minor repairs of social infrastructure facilities. Assistance is expected to follow the “money follows the person” principle and be delivered through national systems.

The parties agreed to deepen cooperation in the field of evacuation and systemic support for internally displaced persons.

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