MIGRATION

Why 2023 was deadliest year for refugees ever

Last year was a tragic year for migrants, marking the deadliest toll since 2014, according to the International Organisation for Migration. A staggering 8,565 lives were lost on migration routes worldwide, representing a 20 percent increase from the previous year. These heartbreaking figures underscore the urgent need for action to prevent further loss of life, says the UN agency, emphasizing …

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EU asylum applications hit 7-year high

Official figures reveal that the EU received more than 1.14 million asylum applications in 2023, the highest number since 2016. Far-right parties could capitalize on the influx in June’s EU elections. Jack Parrock reports More than 1.14 million people applied for asylum in the EU in 2023, according to annual figures released by the European Union Agency for Asylum (EUAA). …

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Germany and Nigeria: New advisory centre for regular migration

Germany and Nigeria have established a new migrant resource centre on the outskirts of Abuja. The German government hopes to make migration successful for both countries involved. On Tuesday, German Development Minister Svenja Schulze opened a new Migration Resource Centre in Ado, a densely populated area near Nigeria’s capital, Abuja. The centre, funded by Germany, is part of a strategy …

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European Qualifications Passport for Refugees

The Head of the Education Department of the Council of Europe, Villano Qiriazi, unveiled inspiring insights into the European Qualifications Passport for Refugees (EQPR) at the UNHCR Global Refugee Forum held in Geneva. The event was dedicated to the sharing of best practices and achievements among national and international actors. The EQPR is a special international tool developed to assess …

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Inhumane Treatment of African Migrants in Tunisia Must Cease

By Bakary J. Janneh In recent weeks, the actions of the Tunisian Police Force towards African migrants within the country have raised serious concerns and prompted an outcry from human rights advocates. Reports have surfaced detailing instances of the burning of migrants’ habitats and the destruction of their food supplies, painting a grim picture of a gross violation of human …

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Germany: Parliament okays bill to make deportations faster

The Bundestag, Germany’s lower house of parliament, approved the new “Repatriation Improvement Act” (Rückführungsverbesserungsgesetz) on 18 January. The law provides for a significant tightening of deportation rules. Among other things, the maximum period of pre-deportation custody is to be extended from 10 to 28 days. The number of cases in which public prosecutors are to be involved in deportations from …

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Nigeria advises citizens against travelling abroad without legal papers

The Nigerian government has warned its nationals against travelling abroad without proper documentation to avoid the unpleasant consequences of irregular migration. The Chairman, Nigerians in Diaspora Commission, Dr Abike Dabiri-Erewa, stated this when she visited some Nigerians in one of the shelters in Brampton, Canada. A statement released via the commission’s handle on X Thursday, warned Nigerians who have the …

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Refugees as labour or scapegoats?

Dr. Pierrette Herzberger-Fofana, MEP comments on the ongoing debate across Europe about migrants, which she argues, ignores the benefits that refugees can bring to the labour market and fuels racist sentiments against Africans, among others —- The tone that was struck in the run-up to the migration summit and can still be heard from many quarters is very worrying. A …

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EU: Half a million asylum applications in six months

A total of 519,000 asylum applications were filed in European countries in the first half of this year, marking an increase of 28 per cent compared to the same period last year, according to the latest report of the European Union Agency for Asylum (EUAA). “As a result of the increase, many EU+ countries* are under pressure with processing applications …

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EU reaches deal with Tunisia on blocking African migrants from crossing the Mediterranean

The EU has signed an agreement with Tunisia to block migrants from using the country as a base to cross the Mediterranean to Europe. In view of the rising numbers of migrants and their life-threatening journeys across the Mediterranean, the EU and Tunisia have decided to cooperate more closely on the issue, the EU Commission President Ursula von der Leyen, …

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Europe: One million asylum applications in 2022

Around one million people applied for asylum in the EU+ countries, comprising EU member states as well as Iceland, Liechtenstein, Norway and Switzerland, last year. This is an increase of around 50 percent compared to 2021, according to the EU Asylum Agency (EUAA). According to the report, about 996,000 applications for international protection were filed in the EU+ countries. Together …

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UK changes student visa rules to curb immigration

The British government has announced measures to restrict the ability of international students to bring family members to the UK in order to reduce net migration to the country. The move comes as official statistics are expected to confirm that net migration rose to more than 700,000 in the year to December 2022. The new visa restrictions, announced on Tuesday, …

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Why increased deportation won’t deter irregular migrants — rights group

European governments are increasingly focused on detaining irregular migrants and returning them to their home countries. But PICUM, a Brussels-based NGO, says they are illegal measures that won’t deter asylum seekers. Marion MacGregor reports European countries have been stepping up efforts to stop asylum seekers from entering or remaining in the territory. The UK government is continuing to push ahead …

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New survey reveals what Germans currently think about immigration

A majority of Germans think immigration brings more disadvantages than advantages, according to a new survey. Half of those polled said they’d like Germany to take in fewer refugees than it currently does. Sabine Kinkartz of DW reports German Interior Minister Nancy Faeser, a Social Democrat, is calling for a change in the EU’s migration policy to limit refugee numbers. …

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Italy declares emergency over migrants as drownings reach new high

Italy declared a nationwide state of emergency on Tuesday for the next six months following the exceptional increase in migrants continuously arriving via the Mediterranean routes. On Tuesday, the Council of Ministers led by Prime Minister Giorgia Meloni declared a national state of emergency on immigration after the Civil Protection and Sea Policies Minister Nello Musumeci proposed it. The decision …

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EU countries should mutually recognise asylum decisions — European Commission

In order to increase the number of deportations of rejected asylum-seekers, the EU states should mutually recognise such decisions, according to the European Commission. Today, an asylum-seeker rejected in one EU country can simply move on to another EU country and start the application process again there, said EU Commissioner for Home Affairs Ylva Johansson in Strasbourg on Tuesday. “This …

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Germany considers sending asylum-seekers to North Africa

The German government has appointed a special representative on migration who is expected to negotiate with major origin countries of refugees in Germany. Joachim Stamp was named early March as Germany’s first-ever “Special representative of the federal government for migration agreements.” He’s been saddled with the responsibility of finding a solution to the about 250,000 rejected asylum-seekers who are tolerated …

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