UK eases visa route for Ukrainian refugees stuck in France’s English Channel port city of Calais
March 10, 2022, 5:46 pm

UK eases visa route for Ukrainian refugees stuck in France’s English Channel port city of Calais (File photo: RTE news)

The Arab News reported, citing the Associated Press, Ukrainians arriving in France’s English Channel port city of Calais with hopes of joining family in Britain can request visas at the local prefecture from Friday.

The structure was quickly set up by British authorities following complaints over treatment of stranded refugees.

A British consular post was being set up at the prefecture of the Pas-de-Calais region in nearby Arras, the prefecture said in a statement Thursday.

Ukrainians who fled the war with Russia in their homeland, arriving in Calais after long journeys, had previously been told to make their visa requests in Paris or Brussels, a policy French Interior Minister Gerald Darmanin said last Sunday was “a bit inhumane.” He urged Britain to “stop the technocratic nit-picking.”

Several hundred Ukrainians have been turned back at British entry points in Calais in a situation the prefecture had described this week as “unrealistic.”

British Prime Minister Boris Johnson was forced to defend his approach, saying that the UK could not accept people entering “without any checks or any controls at all.”

Russian bombing of home buildings (File photo: Euromaidan Press)

Ukraine’s ambassador to Britain, Vadym Prystaiko, has urged the government to suspend visa requirements for Ukrainians fleeing the war, assuring lawmakers “we will take care of them” if the UK eases its rules.

Calais has for years been a magnet for migrants from around the world trying to sneak across the English Channel to Britain. Britain has put the onus on France to keep them out, while providing aid.

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The European Union, of which Britain is not a member, has dropped immigration rules for arriving Ukrainians displaced by Russia’s invasion. Britain says it expects to take in as many as 200,000 Ukrainians. But as of Wednesday, the number of visas issued was just below 1,000.

Source: arabnews

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BENEFIT, the Kingdom’s innovator and leading company in Fintech and electronic financial transactions service, has sponsored the BuildHer CityHack 2025 Hackathon, a two-day event spearheaded by the College of Engineering and Technology at the Royal University for Women (RUW).
Aimed at secondary school students, the event brought together a distinguished group of academic professionals and technology experts to mentor and inspire young participants.
More than 100 high school students from across the Kingdom of Bahrain took part in the hackathon, which featured an intensive programme of training workshops and hands-on sessions. These activities were tailored to enhance participants’ critical thinking, collaborative problem-solving, and team-building capabilities, while also encouraging the development of practical and sustainable solutions to contemporary challenges using modern technological tools.
BENEFIT’s Chief Executive Mr. Abdulwahed AlJanahi, commented: “Our support for this educational hackathon reflects our long-term strategic vision to nurture the talents of emerging national youth and empower the next generation of accomplished female leaders in technology. By fostering creativity and innovation, we aim to contribute meaningfully to Bahrain’s comprehensive development goals and align with the aspirations outlined in the Kingdom’s Vision 2030—an ambition in which BENEFIT plays a central role.”
Professor Riyadh Yousif Hamzah, President of the Royal University for Women, commented: “This initiative reflects our commitment to advancing women in STEM fields. We're cultivating a generation of creative, solution-driven female leaders who will drive national development. Our partnership with BENEFIT exemplifies the powerful synergy between academia and private sector in supporting educational innovation.”
Hanan Abdulla Hasan, Senior Manager, PR & Communication at BENEFIT, said: “We are honoured to collaborate with RUW in supporting this remarkable technology-focused event. It highlights our commitment to social responsibility, and our ongoing efforts to enhance the digital and innovation capabilities of young Bahraini women and foster their ability to harness technological tools in the service of a smarter, more sustainable future.”
For his part, Dr. Humam ElAgha, Acting Dean of the College of Engineering and Technology at the University, said: “BuildHer CityHack 2025 embodies our hands-on approach to education. By tackling real-world problems through creative thinking and sustainable solutions, we're preparing women to thrive in the knowledge economy – a cornerstone of the University's vision.”