Humza Yousaf, Minister for Europe and International Development
Scotland is a welcoming, caring and compassionate country and I know for sure that this also applies to the people of the north-east in Aberdeen and Aberdeenshire.
This is first and foremost a humanitarian crisis and it requires a humanitarian response. The overwhelming support we have seen from the Scottish people over the past few days shows our willingness to help the most vulnerable in the world.
It is only right that the whole of Scotland plays its part in dealing with this humanitarian crisis and that we do all that we can, to help those who are fleeing persecution and coming to Europe seeking safety and protection.
Scotland already has well established structures in place for integrating those who come here seeking asylum and we stand ready to welcome our fair share of vulnerable men, women and children.
People across the UK have been moved by the horrendous images we continue to see, generations of families on the move in search of somewhere safe and desperately looking for somewhere they are welcome and accepted.
Scotland stands ready to accept its fair share of refugees and we have been urging the UK Government to do more by opting in to the EU resettlement relocation scheme announced by President Junkcer earlier this week.
The first minister has made very clear that 1,000 refugees coming to Scotland should be seen as an absolute minimum and very much an initial, immediate figure – it is not a cap or a limit but a starting point for a meaningful discussion about how much we can practically contribute.
Through the Refugee Operation Task Force, we are working with local government and a wide range of stakeholders to ensure services across Scotland are ready to welcome refugees into our communities.
The Scottish Government believes that the UK Government’s announcement of 20,000 refugees exclusively from camps neighbouring Syria by 2020 is too little and will in some cases be too late.
I believe it is our duty as fellow human beings to offer what we can to those most in need and that we cannot simply walk on by as others suffer.
In times of an emergency collective action is required and I am overwhelmed by the response we have seen in Scotland so far with the majority of Scotland’s councils, faith groups, community organisations, schools and ordinary citizens offering to help.
The Scottish Government’s position on this crisis has been welcomed by the Scottish Human Rights Commission and the action we have taken in setting up an operational taskforce has been welcomed and commended by the United Nations Refugee Agency – UNHCR.
It will be our collective response and level of compassion that defines Scotland’s reaction to this human catastrophe and I would urge the people of the north-east to continue to do what they can to help.