Evaluation of Emergency Transit Centres in Romania and the Slovak Republic

The Emergency Transit Centres (ETC) received refugees in Timisoara, Romania since 2007 and in Humenné, Slovakia since 2011 after several ad hoc evacuations since 1999. The centres were established to enable UNHCR to evacuate refugees with emergency or urgent resettlement needs to a place of safety where the resettlement process could continue. The evaluation focuses primarily on relevance and effectiveness of the ETC. Some of the key evaluation questions asked are as follows: (a) Are the objectives of the ETCs appropriate and relevant in the light of UNHCR’s resettlement strategies and the global strategic priority of expanding opportunities for durable solutions? (b) To what extent are the ETCs achieving their objectives, in particular providing immediate and effective protection to individuals of concern to UNHCR, enabling officials from UNHCR and resettlement countries to undertake interviews in a stable and secure environment, and promoting onward resettlement?