Another 35 refugees left Malta to begin a new life in the United States in the past week.

Since the US Embassy began its ongoing refugee resettlement programme in May, 303 refugees have been resettled in the US. These latest refugees are from Egypt, Eritrea, Ethiopia, and Somalia.

Chargé d’Affaires Jason Davis noted that the refugee resettlement programme reflected America’s continuing commitment to help ease the burden that migration placed on Malta, as well as its recognition of the enormous challenges and dangers that many of the migrants faced.

“The programme’s success is a tribute to continued hard work on the part of the United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees, the International Organisation for Migration, and the United States government, as well as many others here in Malta who have dedicated themselves to improving the lives of refugees in need of humanitarian assistance,” Mr Davis said.

He said all refugees were assigned a sponsor agency in the US that provided initial services such as housing, food, and clothing, as well as referral to medical care, employment services, and other support services during the transition period to self-sufficiency. These services are provided in order to facilitate refugees with the process of integration and cultural assimilation.