Hafnarfjörður to take in up to 450 refugees

Guðmundur Ingi Guðbrandsson, Minister for Social Affairs and the Labour Market, Rósa Guðbjartsdóttir, Mayor of Hafnarfjörður, and Nichole Leigh Mosty, Director of the Centre for Multiculturalism, today signed an agreement on the reception of refugees in Hafnarfjörður and on continued cooperation in this area. Under the agreement, the City of Hafnarfjörður will take in up to 450 refugees.

Hafnarfjörður has valuable experience and expertise in refugee matters.

The aim of a coordinated reception for refugees is to ensure they receive continuous and equal services, regardless of where they come from or which local authority they settle in. Emphasis is placed on necessary support to process trauma and on providing people with opportunities for active participation in society, such as through employment, community education and study, including Icelandic language courses. A professional reception requires active dialogue and cooperation from all parties involved. Hafnarfjörður is one of the municipalities that agreed to participate in a pilot project on a coordinated reception system in 2020 and has valuable experience and expertise in the field of refugee affairs.

In the heart of Hafnarfjörður on signing day. Margrét Vala Marteinsdóttir, Chair of the Family Council; Valdimar Víðisson, Chair of the Municipal Council; Guðmundur Ingi Guðbrandsson, Minister of Social Affairs and the Labour Market; Rósa Guðbjartsdóttir, Mayor of Hafnarfjörður, Nichole Leigh Mosty, Director of the Centre for Multiculturalism, and Ægir Örn Sigurgeirsson, Head of the Refugee and Asylum Seekers Department.

Guðmundur Ingi Guðbrandsson, Minister for Social Affairs and the Labour Market:

„It is pleasing that the Municipality of Hafnarfjörður has signed a new agreement on the coordinated reception of refugees, as there is important and welcome expertise within the municipality regarding the reception of refugees. I sincerely congratulate the people of Hafnarfjörður.“

Rósa Guðbjartsdóttir, Mayor:

„Experience in receiving refugees shows that the need for services and support is very great in the first few days and weeks, while people are finding their feet in an unfamiliar environment and deciding where they want to put down roots for the future. This has required extensive and specialised professional services, the strengthening of infrastructure and targeted services in various fields, and it is therefore an important step that the funding for these services is secured by this agreement.“

This is the sixth agreement to be signed on the coordinated reception of refugees in a short space of time. In addition to Hafnarfjörður, Akureyri, Árborg, Hornafjörður, Reykjanesbær and the City of Reykjavík have signed agreements with the Ministry of Social Affairs and the Labour Market.