According to the foreign affairs ministry, 35 people arrived on 4 December and a second group will be welcomed in early 2020.

The two groups include 19 Somalis, 18 Eritreans, 8 Sudanese and 3 Ethiopians, who will be issued international protection upon arrival in Luxembourg. They will be housed in a hostel in Luxembourg-Mühlenbach until they are able to access permanent accommodation.

The 48 were selected during a delegation visit to Niamey in October 2019, based on a pre-selection made by the United Nations Refugee Agency.

Luxembourg’s actions are a response to the emergency on the Central Mediterranean route and the precarious situation of refugees in Libya.