African refugees reach France in resettlement initiative
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The first group of African refugees benefiting from a new initiative bringing the especially vulnerable directly to Europe has arrived in France.
An Interior Ministry official said the 19 Sudanese, including 11 children, were taken from a camp in Chad. They were heading to a convent Monday in eastern France after their arrival.
The official, who wasn't authorized to speak publicly and requested anonymity, said a second group of 25 refugees pre-selected in Niger arrives Tuesday.
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The initiative, signed after an August summit in Paris between Chad, Niger and Libya and four European countries, ensures that those selected won't make treacherous Mediterranean crossings — while heading off illegal entries.
France committed to welcoming 3,000 from Niger and Chad within two years, among 10,000 to be selected from elsewhere.