Arrivals and Departures
An estimated 181,450 refugees and migrants have entered Europe by sea so far this year, the majority of whom arrived to Greece (154,268). At least 1,261 people have died or gone missing as of 22 April.
Conditions of People
The United Nations Security Council deplored the recent maritime tragedy in the Mediterranean Sea that resulted in up to 500 deaths when overcrowded boats capsized en route from Libya to Europe, emphasizing the need for better coordination of efforts in dealing with the smuggling of migrants.
In a press statement, members of the Council expressed “grave concern” at the proliferation and endangerment of lives by the smuggling of migrants in the Mediterranean Sea, including off the coast of Libya. The Council also called for full implementation of resolution 2240 (2015), which is intended to disrupt the organized criminal enterprises engaged in migrant smuggling and prevent the loss of life.
Earlier last week, UNHCR reported on this incident which could be one of the most tragic involving refugees and migrants in the past 12 months. The 41 survivors include 37 men, 3 women, and a 3-year-old child who were rescued by a merchant ship and taken to Kalamata, in the Peloponnese peninsula of Greece, on 16 April. UNHCR assisted the survivors with transport from Kalamata to Athens, hotel accommodation, and psychosocial support. Those rescued include 23 Somalis, 11 Ethiopians, 6 Egyptians, and one Sudanese. The survivors told UNHCR that they had been part of a group of between 100 and 200 people who departed last week from a locality near Tobruk in Libya on a 30-metre-long boat.
Visiting the Islamic Republic of Iran as part of his tour to the region to review the situation of Afghan refugees, UNHCR Assistant High Commissioner for Operations, George Okoth-Obbo, commended Iran for its generosity and exemplary role in relation to refugees. He noted UNHCR's commitment to continue and further enhance its support towards Iran. In this context, he reaffirmed UNHCR's commitment to Iran and the Afghan refugees; he noted that the Solutions Strategy for Afghan Refugees (SSAR) – the quadripartite regional framework between UNHCR and the governments of the Islamic Republics of Afghanistan, Pakistan, and Iran – continues to be the main framework for joint interventions aimed at facilitating voluntary return and sustainable reintegration of Afghan refugees in Afghanistan while simultaneously providing assistance to refugee hosting communities. Afghan nationals remain the second largest population group of those who arrive to the Greek islands.
Critical Developments
German Chancellor, Angela Merkel, European Council President, Donald Tusk and first vice-president of the European Commission, Frans Timmermans, met with Turkish Prime Minister, Ahmet Davutoğlu on Saturday, April 22. The delegation visited a refugee camp near the border with Syria before visiting a child protection centre. The visit was aimed at highlighting the initial beneficiaries of the €6 billion in funding that the EU has pledged to Turkey over the next few years, through the EU-Turkey agreement. One aspect of the agreement sets out that Syrian nationals returned to Turkey from Greece will be guaranteed their rights to international protection. The Turkish government made an amendment to the Temporary Protection Regulation on access to Temporary Protection regarding Syrian nationals, who have irregularly travelled to Europe and returned to Turkey as of 20 March from Greek islands.
However, despite recent legislative changes, only a small minority of Syrians have the right to work in Turkey. The majority turn to daily labour and live in urban areas. Of the 2.7 million Syrian refugees in Turkey, some 10% live in camps run by Turkish authorities such as the one visited by the delegation.
Médecins Sans Frontières (MSF) has resumed search, rescue and medical aid operations in the central Mediterranean Sea, between Africa and Europe, and conducted its first operation of 2016. MSF's first operation of 2016 occurred on Saturday 23 April, with the Dignity 1 accepting a transfer of 308 rescued people (205 men, 80 women, 23 children), mainly Eritrean, from an Italian rescue boat. The Dignity 1 is now on its way to Sicily where the 308 people will disembark on Monday.
During a meeting held in Thessaloniki, Greece on Thursday and Friday (21-22 April), the Interior and Foreign Ministers of Bulgaria, Greece, the former Yugoslav Republic of Macedonia, and Albania agreed to seek common decisions regarding tackling the refugee and migrant crisis. The ministers will meet on the matter every six months.The meetings might be held more often if deemed necessary and their format might be extended. The main aim of the exchanges is to enhance dialogue and extend the perspective for further cooperation and coordination in dealing with the common challenges arising from the refugee crisis.