80,000 Bhutanese refugees resettle in third countries

KATHMANDU, April 26: Some 80,000 refugees from Bhutan residing in Nepal have started new lives in eight different countries of the world under the resettlement plan.



At a program organized by the United Nations High Commission for Refugees (UNHCR) and International Organisation for Migration (IOM) here today, it was informed that a total of 78,511 Bhutanese refugees have been resettled in the United States of America, Australia, Canada, Denmark, the Netherlands, New Zealand, Norway and the United Kingdom so far. [break]



Of them, the largest number of refugees—66,234, are resettled in the United States of America, 5,376 in Canada, 4,191 in Australia, 747 in New Zealand, 749 in Denmark, 546 in Norway, 326 in the Netherlands and 350 in the United Kingdom, according to data of IOM.



It was informed that the refugees could be resettled in the countries as per the target to resettle some 100,000 Bhutanese refugees in the third countries.



On the occasion, Peter W. Bodde, Ambassador of USA to Nepal, expressed happiness for having cooperated for the resettlement of the Bhutanese refugees by his country.



Similarly, UNHCR Acting Representative in Nepal, Diane Goodman, and IOM Chief of Mission in Nepal, Busatti Maurizio, said some 80,000 Bhutanese refugees have been resettled so far as per the target to resettle 100,000 refugees to the third countries and added that such work will be continued in the days ahead.

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