Ms. Yordanka Fandakova, Mayor of Sofia Municipality, and Ms. Seda Kuzudzu, the new representative for Bulgaria of the United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees, held a meeting on December 14, 2022. They discussed the situation with refugees, asylum seekers and stateless people in Sofia, the pressing problems, and challenges, as well as the efforts of each country for a better response to the refugee crisis and for more effective integration.

Ms. Fandakova and Ms. Kuzudzu outlined the areas in which UNHCR and Sofia can cooperate. Among them are training of volunteers to work in emergency situations with refugees, inclusion of appropriate events in the programs of the municipal cultural institutes, training in the Bulgarian language and others. The mayor and the representative of the UN Refugee Agency agreed to sign a Memorandum of Understanding early next year.

In the coming year, Sofia Development Association will be a beneficiary of UNHCR on behalf of the Sofia Municipality, in order to work to increase the awareness and readiness of the society to integrate migrants and refugees.