[This is a roundup of news articles and other materials circulating on the topic of refugees, migrants, and IDPs and reflects a wide variety of opinions. It does not reflect the views of the Refugees and Migrants Page Editors or of Jadaliyya. It is updated monthly. You may send your own recommendations for inclusion in each month's roundup to info@jadaliyya.com.]
Latest Developments
Soaring cases and little vaccination: A COVID-19 Middle East snapshot
The New Humanitarian reported that the Middle East and North Africa are experiencing another COVID-19 wave due low vaccination rates in the region, with the expectation of Israel and the Gulf states. Only 764,233 vaccination doses have been distributed in Libya, or 5.6% of the population. Migrants and refugees experience even lower vaccination rates due to a lack of political inclusion. Between 16-32% of the population in Lebanon has been vaccinated in the face of looming economic disaster and blackouts. Iraq and Tunisia have recorded lower infection rates but expect another wave. The agency reports that Yemen has barely reached a 0.5% vaccination rate.
Shelter needs soar for newly displaced in Yemen's Marib
اليمن: ارتفاع نسبة الاحتياجات الخاصة بالمأوى للنازحين حديثاً في مأرب
UNHCR warns of an alarming increase in humanitarian needs among displaced communities in Yemen as a result of the war. Since the beginning of the year, almost 24,000 people have been displaced by armed clashes, shelling, and airstrikes in Marib Governorate, an area that already hosts a quarter of Yemen's four million IDPs. A recent assessment by UNHCR found that shelters are beyond capacity and have been further damaged by flood and fires. IDPs are facing scarcity of resources such as shortage of clean water, toilets, electricity, and sanitation. Another issue is the threat of looming evictions as most shelters are built on private land.
According to a survey conducted by UNICEF, 7 out of 10 families in Lebanon requested basic assistance after the August 4th bombings. Almost all of the families are in dire need of support, especially cash and food support. A third of the families with children under the age of 18 said that at least one of their children still showed signs of stress a year after the bombing. The survey found that almost all families reported that their homes needed repairs in the aftermath of the bombing of which half of the families still need repairs. UNICEF calls on Lebanese leaders to abandon their political interest to form a government that can provide essential public services such as water, education, and healthcare.
Another boat tragedy off North Africa’s Atlantic coast stark reminder of perilous sea journeys
UNHCR and IOM reported that 47 of the 54 migrants aboard a boat heading for the Canary Islands along the Atlantic coast. The boat’s engine died two days before the Mauritanian coast guard located it on August 16.
ألمانيا تقرر وقف عمليات الترحيل إلى أفغانستان
According to DW, Germany and Netherlands suspended deportations of Afghani asylum seekers whose asylum applications were rejected due to the deterioration of the situation in Afghanistan after the Taliban took control of Afghanistan. EU ambassadors to Afghanistan recommended a temporary suspension of forcible returns from all EU countries to Afghanistan.
UNHCR warns Afghanistan's conflict taking the heaviest toll on displaced women and children
المفوضية - المفوضية تحذر من أن الصراع في أفغانستان يطال تأثيره النازحين من النساء والأطفال
The United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees expressed its concern over the unfolding humanitarian crisis in Afghanistan. The UN continues to call for a permanent ceasefire and a negotiated settlement for the benefit of the Afghani people. The UN Assistance mission warned that unless there is a substantial decrease in violence, Afghanistan is on track for the highest number of civilian casualties recorded in a single year. UNHCR calls on neighboring countries of Afghanistan to keep their border open for the 400,000 people who have been forced to leave their homes since the beginning of the year.
Israel to OK new homes for West Bank settlers, Palestinians
An Israeli security official claimed that Israel is set to approve the construction of new homes for 2000 Jewish settlement units in the West Bank, according to Reuters. The official claimed that the settlement would include 1000 Palestinian homes, a rare move for Israeli settlements.
Afghan refugees reach Iran as violence escalates
اللاجئون الأفغان يصلون إلى إيران مع تصاعد العنف
The UNHCR expressed concern over the escalation of conflict in Afghanistan. Nearly 200 Afghan refugees were forced to flee to the Islamic Republic of Iran. UNHCR urged the Iranian authorities to keep the Milak border near Afghanistan open in light of the worsening humanitarian situation in Afghanistan. UNHCR has provided immediate assistance to new arrivals which includes food and water. There are nearly one million Afghan refugee card holders in Iran.
Mass job terminations hit hundreds of Yemenis in Saudi Arabia
Hundreds of Yemeni medical, academic, and other professionals in Saudi Arabia told Reuters that their work contracts are not being renewed. Reuters found no official reason or number of denied contacts from the Saudi government. An anonymous Saudi analyst told Reuters that the state aims to address high unemployment in the south through foreign contract denials.
UNRWA and Kuwait Fund For Arab Economic Development sign a Memorandum of Understanding
الأونروا والصندوق الكويتي للتنمية الاقتصادية العربية يوقعان اتفاقية تفاهم
UNRWA signed an agreement of cooperation with the Kuwait Fund for Arab Economic Development. The cooperation will help support UNRWA’s work in enhancing access to education, health, and social sectors for 5.7 million Palestinian refugees in Syria, Lebanon, Jordan, Gaza, and the West Bank. The State of Kuwait has provided more than $240 million in financial support to UNRWA.
Afghans kept in wretched conditions at US base in Qatar
Al Jazeera reported that the Pentagon is working on improving conditions for Afghan evacuees at the U.S. Al Udeid air base in Qatar after leaked video footage showed them living in inhuman conditions. The Pentagon and State Department said that they recognize the severity of the situation and are working to find a solution. The US and its allies announced they had evacuated 70,000 people between 14 and 22 August, many transiting through Al Udeid.
Combination of wildfires and COVID-19 threatens tens of thousands of lives in Algeria and Tunisia
IFRC reported that wildfires in Tunisia and Algeria forced hundreds of families to flee and burned thousands of hectares of farmland and residences in mid-August. With the assistance of over 300 volunteers, the Algerian Red Cross set up 200 tents and provided essential items to an additional 8,000 families.
منظمة الهجرة الدولية: نحو 120 ألف عامل مهاجر في لبنان يحتاجون لمساعدات عاجلة
According to IOM, about 120,000 migrant workers living in Lebanon are in urgent need of humanitarian assistance to survive the current economic crisis. There are about six million people living in Lebanon, including Lebanese citizens and refugees. Around 78% of Lebanese people live below the poverty line compared to 30% before the economic crisis. A study done by UNICEF indicates that all homes in Beirut were affected by the August 4th bombing. Around 4 out of 10 families suffered from damage to their water supply and a quarter of them live without water.
UNDP announced its support of the Ministry of Migration and Displaced (MOMD), National Security Advisory, and 74 community leaders to facilitate the return and reintegration of displaced Iraqis. The workshops focus on acceptance of former residents of the al-Hol camp in Syria, who move through the Al-Jada’a Rehabilitation Camp before returning.
Japan Contributes US$ 3.7 million in Food Assistance for Palestine refugees in the Gaza Strip
اليابان تتبرع بمبلغ 3.7 مليون دولار للمعونة الغذائية للاجئي فلسطين في قطاع غزة
According to UNRWA, the Japanese government signed a donation of 400 million yen or $3.7 million to support the operations of UNRWA. The contribution will support UNRWA’s work in providing critical food aid to more than a million Palestinian refugees in the Gaza Strip who have become dependent on the aid due to COVID-19 and the attacks by Israel. The Japanese government is the fifth largest donor to UNRWA.
The U.S. contributed over USD 50 million to UNHCR efforts to provide protection interventions, such as child protection, the prevention of gender-based violence, and community-based protection, in addition to camp management, education support, and the rehabilitation of infrastructure, schools, and health facilities to Iraqi IDPs and Syrian refugees in Iraq.
إشكال فردي في إحدى القرى اللبنانية يضع مصير نحو ألف سوري في مهب التشريد
According to Infomigrants, a dispute in southern Lebanon between Syrian refugees and Lebanese citizens which led to injuries has increased the tension in the area. As a result, citizens of the area demanded the departure of Syrian refugees from the town and called against renting houses to refugees. Lebanon is currently facing an economic crisis and shortage of basic necessities. As a result of the conflict and general hostilities, which the municipality of the area described as “an isolated incident”. Many Syrian refugees who have lived in the area for almost a decade have decided to leave.
Inauguration Of The UNRWA Aida Boys’ School And Health Centre
افتتاح مدرسة ومركز صحي تابعين للأونروا في مخيم عايدة
With the start of the new school year, UNRWA inaugurated a boys school and a health center in the Aida refugee camp in Bethlehem in the West Bank. The project was funded by the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia with a donation of $4,110,000 through the Saudi Fund for Development. The project serves 467 students in the camp by building and furnishing 17 classrooms for grades 1 through 9. The school is equipped with a library, computer lab, science lab, and a cafeteria. The health center is a four-story building with 25 rooms that will serve patients with disabilities and chronic diseases. The center will serve around 29,000 Palestinian refugees in the area.
QRCS provides cancer medications for Syrian refugees in Lebanon [EN/AR]
Qatar Red Crescent announced that it would support 16 Syrian refugees’ cancer surgeries and medications in Lebanon in collaboration with the Tripoli Governmental Hospital in Tripoli City. The project will cost $175,451, which will be covered by charitable Qatari donations.
A closer look at the work of UNRWA school counsellors in Lebanon
UNRWA highlighted the contributions of 48 UNRWA school counsellors specializing in specific psychosocial support (PSS) and emergencies for school-aged children. The counsellors engaged with the children, their caregivers, and the Palestinian community to make the biggest impact on the children’s wellbeing. During the pandemic, counsellors conduct routine “Care Calls” to students and their families to support them through fears and anxieties.
Vulnerable Palestine Refugees Affected By Ongoing Clashes In Southern Syria
لاجئو فلسطين المعرضون للمخاطر متضررون جراء الاشتباكات المستمرة في جنوب سوريا
According to UNRWA, heavy shelling and clashing in Daraa has caused loss of life, injury, and displacement of hundreds of Palestinian refugees. Many refugee families have decided to return to the area despite the lack of resources due to the lack of alternatives. As of 2021, around 3,000 refugees reside in the area. UNRWA reports that the families in the camp face a dire situation due to the lack of bread, medicine, food, water, and electricity. Residents of the area have no access to UNRWA resources due to the continued shelling.
UN officials briefed the Security Council on the deteriorating situation in Yemen, citing that “war overshadows everything.” 20 million people are in need of humanitarian assistance and protection, 5 million of which are on the brink of starvation. In the face of economic collapse, UN leaders recommended for the UN to distribute cash so Yemenis can afford food and called on the UNSC to reopen the port of Hudaydah for food and fuel delivery.
Lebanon in danger of losing critical access to water
يواجه لبنان خطر فقدان الوصول إلى خدمات المياه الأساسية
According to UNICEF, unless urgent action is taken, more than four million people across Lebanon, of which most are children, will face severe water shortages or be completely cut off from water. UNICEF had warned a month earlier that more than 71% of the population may not have access to water during the summer. Vital facilities such as hospitals and health centers are now deprived of water due to the lack of electricity.
Climate crisis exacerbates humanitarian situation in Yemen [EN/AR]
The UN Humanitarian Coordinator in Yemen highlighted the effects of the climate emergency in the country. In addition to the armed conflict, Yemen experienced intense drought and flooding throughout the year, which further hindered stability for the Yemeni people. The Coordinator noted that less than 50% of the requested USD 3.85 billion 2021 Yemen Humanitarian Response Plan has been funded.
من اليمن إلى إثيوبيا....مهاجرون يعودون طوعا في أول رحلة عودة إنسانية!
According to IOM, 70 migrants, including 19 women and 14 children, from Ethiopia have been repatriated from Yemen in the first voluntary flights from Yemen since 2019. Migrants travel from Ethiopia to Gulf states but get stranded on their way in Yemen. The returnees were all survivors of a fire at a detention center in Sanaa in March which had killed and injured hundreds of migrants. The coordinator of IOM in the area stated that “returning home safely is a critical part of the healing process.”
UN officials briefed the UN Security Council on the growing violence and economic crisis in Syria, causing the greatest humanitarian needs in the country since the beginning of the conflict. This crisis is coupled with critically low water levels in the Euphrates River, depriving 1.1 million people of drinking water.
اعتقال سوري في برلين مشتبه في ارتكابه جرائم حرب
According to Infromigrants, German authorities arrested a Syrian man suspected of war crimes and murder in the Palestinian refugee district of Yarmouk in Damascus in 2014. The refugee is accused of firing a grenade from an anti-tank weapon into a crowd in a square in the capital of Syria, Demascus. The attack had killed seven people and wounded three, including a six year old child. The victims were civilians waiting for food parcels from UNRWA.
Water crisis and drought threaten more than 12 million in Syria and Iraq
13 aid groups working in Syria and Iraq released a press release on August 23 warning that more than 12 million people in the region are losing access to water, food and electricity due to the current drought. These conditions are forcing rural villages to migrate in search of potable water.
العثور على جثث ستة مهاجرين بينهم أطفال في الصحراء التونسية
According to Infomigrants, on August 12th the Tunisian authorities found six bodies of migrants from Niger including two women and four children in a desert near the border of Algeria. Authorities found one survivor who was lost in the desert in an attempt to find water for the group. The group had died on their way to Tunisia because of dehydration and the high temperature. The migration route that the migrants took is a common one but Tunisia is currently experiencing a severe heat wave.
Running Dry: The impact of water scarcity on children in the Middle East and North Africa [EN/AR]
UNICEF issued a press release for World Water Week, emphasizing that 90% of children in MENA live in areas of high-water stress with serious consequences on their health, nutrition and development.
"يوروستات": الاتحاد الأوروبي أصدر 276 ألف تصريح إقامة في 2019 للم شمل أسر القاصرين
According to data from the European Statistical Institute “Eurostat”, during 2019, the European Union issued more than 276,000 initial residence permits. The permits were issued for family unification of unaccompanied minors under the age of 15 from outside of the EU. Around 60% of the minors were under the age of five. The report also found that Germany had issued the most permits in the EU, around 61,500 or 22% of the total, followed by Spain which had issued 20% of the total.
Articles
تونس تطلق حملة تلقيح شاملة ضد كورونا تشمل المهاجرين غير النظاميين
According to Infomigrants, Tunisia has launched a vaccination campaign against the Coronavirus that includes all parts of society, regardless of legal status. The Head of the National Committee for Immunization pledged to vaccinate every immigrant over the age of 40 like all Tunisian residents. NGOs are concerned about the vulnerability of immigrants against COVID due to their lack of papers. The ministry ensured that immigrants can get the AstraZeneca vaccine as long as they can prove their date of birth.
ألمانيا: نحو 47 ألف لاجئ فقط استقبلتهم في هذا العام من أصل 220 ألف وعدت باستقبالهم سنويا!
According to Infomigrants, German politicians criticized the low number of refugees entering annually through safe corridors in comparison to the promised amount of 220,000 people. In the first half of 2021, Germany has only allowed 47,400 refugees of that number; around 7000 have been deported and 4000 have left after their asylum applications were rejected.
“We are all afraid”: Settler attacks against Palestinians in Hebron on the rise
MSF reported that the Hebron distinct in the West Bank, which houses 600 Israeli settlers, 35,000 Palestinian residents, and 2,000 IDF members, has experienced a sharp uptick in settler violence in 2021. During the first six months of 2021, the MSF operation in Hebron admitted 75 Palestinian of mental health issues due to settler attacks compared to 65 during all of 2020. This increase in fear and anxiety is the result of restrictions on movement, limited access to medical services, home demolitions, and the continuous presence of the Israeli military in this Palestinian city.
الريال اليمني يهبط لمستوى قياسي جديد أمام الدولار | اقتصاد
According to AlJazeera, the Yemeni Riyal in the Governorates under the authority of the government fell against the US dollar to a new record low. The Thursday before the decline, the Yemeni Riyal was trading at 1020 and it dropped to 1060 at its lowest. Before the war, one dollar was sold at 215 Riyals. The repercussions of the war, decline of foreign reserves as well as speculation by exchange shops has caused the Riyals drop in value.
مركز يمني: أكثر من 100 قتيل ومصاب بسبب ألغام الحوثيين
According to AlJazeera, during the first half of 2021, the Yemeni Mine Center documented that more than 100 people have been hurt by landmines planted by Houthis. A non-governmental human rights center stated that mines have killed 44 civilians, including 11 children, 7 women, in addition to wounding 57 civilians.
Climate Change and Bedouin Communities in the Jordan Valley
ICRC published a piece on the intense effects of desertification in the occupied Palestinian Territories, arguing that drought and restricted land access due to Israeli settlements is causing water, food, and livelihood insecurities. The Bedouin community depends on livestock for survival, so these changes threaten their communities’ survival.
مهاجرون سوريون في ليبيا ضحايا مراكز الاحتجاز.. تعذيب وابتزاز وسوء تغذية
According to Infomigrants, about 800 Syrian immigrants in various Libyan prisons complain of ill-treatment including torture, deprivation of basic rights, as well as verbal assault. On their way to Europe, many Syrian refugees travel to Libya where they are placed in detention centers if they are caught at a checkpoint or in immigration boats. Most refugees come from Daraa and while families stay in detention for 12 hours only, most bachelors end up in prison.
From Refugees to Asylum Seekers? Palestinian Refugees and the Syrian Conflict
IEMed published a paper analyzing host states’ response to the arrival of Palestinian refugees escaping Syria since 2011. The article argues that Palestinians’ forced migration into third party countries has been marginalized in international rhetoric and lacks a specific legal framework, as most Palestinians are categorized as general asylum seekers after their secondary displacement.
قوات النظام السوري والطائرات الروسية تجدد قصف مناطق في ريف إدلب
According to Al-Jazeera, the Syrian regime and Russian forces renewed the bombardment of areas in Idlib. Human Rights organizations state that almost 65 civilians have been killed as well as 4,000 civilians displaced in the past few weeks.
الوكالة الاتحادية للتوظيف: ألمانيا بحاجة لـ 400 ألف مهاجر سنويا
According to DW, the head of the Federal Agency for Employment in Germany, Deltev Scheel, stated that Germany needs around 400,000 skilled immigrants annually to make up for the current labour shortage. Types of specialized labour that are needed include healthcare, climate experts, and academia. Scheel recommended that more immigrants be allowed into the country as a solution.
Beirut one year after the blast: Economic crisis and COVID-19 create the perfect storm
MSF examines the state of Lebanese quality of life on the one year anniversary of the Beirut blast. The organization found that people’s need for medical and psychological support remains high and these needs are not being met due to the compounded economic crisis, political crisis, and pandemic. MSF doctors reported that even their locations struggle to acquire adequate medications, and many of their clients say that they must choose between food or medicine because of extreme inflation.
مهاجرون أنقذتهم سفينة "أوشن فايكنغ": تعرضنا لعنف المهربين في البحر قبل إنقاذنا
According to Infomigrants, migrants who were rescued by the rescue ship “Ocean Viking” suffered horrific abuse in Libya before being subjected to violence at the hands of smugglers on boats heading to Europe. A migrant stated that smugglers had big guns and beat migrants as they got on the boat. The situation further deteriorated on the boats as water and fuel quickly ran out and there was no satellite connection.
Yemeni Freedom and Mobility Dreams
MERIP published this article by Bogumila Hall explores the under documented migration of Yemenis across the Indian Ocean. Dissuaded by the perils of the Mediterranean crossing, many Yemenis are taking flights and boats to the island of Mayotte, a French colony between Madagascar and Mozambique and the farthest European Union outpost from Europe itself. Most Yemeni migrants, according to estimates, try to find sanctuary in the Global South, but the number of Yemenis attempting to enter the EU is rising despite access restrictions.
للوصول إلى أوروبا.. مهاجرون تونسيون يلجؤون إلى "التهريب الذاتي "
According to DW, a number of Tunisians are deciding to buy their own boats and organize migration cruises to Europe themselves rather than paying smugglers. Self-smugglers organize trips within their neighborhood by raising money to buy a boat, engine, petrol, and GPS. Self-smuggling is rapidly becoming a common phenomenon in the Mediterranean sea due to the abuse migrants experience by smugglers. The COVID-19 crisis has increased the number of migrants traveling across the sea. Between January and August 2020, nearly 15,000 migrants arrived in Italy. Finding the percentage of self-smugglers is difficult to assess because they tend to go undetected.
Palestinians and Europe’s ‘Refugee Crisis’ Seeking Asylum in France in the Wake of the Syrian War
The Journal of Refugee Studies published Nell Gabiam’s piece on Palestinian asylum seekers in France, arguing that the current policy to allow both Syrian refugees and and Palestinian refugees in Syria to apply for an asylum visa in France coexists rather than overturns the simultaneous French policy to deter large numbers of asylum seekers from entering Europe.
انتهاء محنة "أوشن فايكنغ" و"سي ووتش".. إيطاليا تسمح لنحو 800 مهاجر بالنزول في أراضيها
According to Infomigrants, Italian authorities allowed “Ocean Viking” and “Sea Watch 3” to disembark 800 migrants from the ship to Italian territories. The migrants had spent several days at sea waiting for a safe port to set up, which NGOs had described as “inhumane”. The ship had rescued the migrants from boats in the Mediterranean sea. The ship’s crew had warned for days of the need to disembark due to the deteriorating health of the migrants on board who were suffering from dehydration and skin infections.
Displaced Somalis and refugees struggle to recover as climate change brings new threats
UNHCR reported on the disastrous effects of flooding and cyclones on Somalis and refugees in the Horn of Africa. The agency reported that these extreme events displaced more than 1.3 million Somalis in 2020, more than drought or conflict. During the first half of 2021, 68,000 people were displaced by drought and another 56,500 by floods. There are an estimated 2.9 million IDPs in Somalia.
حرائق ضخمة تضرب اليونان وتجبر السلطات على إخلاء مخيمات المهاجرين القريبة منها
According to Infomigrants, Greece has been battling with wildfires for the past two weeks. Around 1,500 firefighters are fighting five fires that broke out north of Athens and three others on the island of Peloponnese. As a result, Greek authorities evacuated two thousand migrants from the Ritsona camp in northern Athens to another facility in Malakasa.
Reports
According to a new report released by UNICEF, an estimated number of 140 million students are expected to postpone their first day of school indefinitely due to COVID-19. For 8 million of these students, the first day of in-person schooling has been postponed for more than a year due to closure of schools because of the pandemic. For many students across the world, schools were closed for an average of 79 days during 2020, but 168 million schools closed for almost the entire year since the pandemic began. Studies state that positive learning experiences can pave better social, emotional, and educational outcomes.
“They Killed Us from the Inside”
HRW published an investigation into the aftermath of the August 2020 Beirut Blast, documenting the stories of the 216 lives lost, 7,000 injured, 300,000 displaced, and USD 3.8-4.6 billion in damages. The investigation explores the environmental impact of the spill of ammonium nitrate from the port on the community, failures in government and industrial communication lines, and the failure for the Lebanese government and international community to conduct an independent investigation of the explosion.
The Journal of Refugee Studies published Ann-Christin Zuntz’s piece on how pre-war kinship-based networks influence livelihood strategies for Syrian refugees in Jordan post 2011. The study found that Syrian refugees mobilize pre-war transnational ties to access jobs in agriculture and the humanitarian sector in Jordan, then distribute their income to relatives in neighboring countries through these familial networks. The study was conducted via fieldwork in northern Jordan from 2015 to 2017.
Under-five malnutrition among Palestine refugee children living in camps in Jordan
BMJ Global Health published a study on malnutrition in Palestinian refugee children that examined 405 households in the Jerash and Souf refugee camps in order to inform UNRWA healthcare decisions. The study found moderate-to-high prevalence of stunting and overweight levels in this population compared to non-refugee Jordanian children. The authors correlated the findings to refugee households' lack of civil rights.
Digital labour platforms offer young refugees a possible route to decent work
The International Labour Organization issued a press brief on its new report, Towards decent work for young refugees and host communities in the digital platform economy in Africa: Kenya, Uganda, Egypt, which outlines how the digital economy opens job opportunities for refugees, especially in local economies that are difficult to enter. However, decent work deficits and a lack of connectivity hinder this industry.
VARON 2020: Vulnerability Assessment of Refugees of Other Nationalities in Lebanon
UNHCR, in partnership with WFP, published a report based on the experiences of 675 UNHCR-registered refugee households, excluding Syrian refugees. In this cohort, 54% of refugees are Iraqis and 26% are Sudanese. The report provides detailed demographics and other statistics, as well as recommendations for UN bodies and other aid organizations. Major recommendations include cash-based programes, rent assistance, and assistance gaining legal documentation.
إيطاليا: زيادة المهاجرين الوافدين بنسبة 128% خلال عام واحد
According to ANSA which gathered its data from the Ministry of the Interior, the total number of immigrants arriving to Italy from August 2020 to July 2021 has increased by 128% from 21,600 to 49,280 immigrants. The number of unaccompanied minors has also increased by 155% to 7843 minors. Around 8500 refugees were rescued by Italian search boats, 4000 were rescued by NGOs, and 40,000 landed independently. Most of the refugees have come from Libya, Tunisia, Turkey, Algeria, Greece, and Egypt.
IOM published its latest IDP and Returnee data, recording no new mass displacements and the continuation of previously displaced families returning to their places of origin. The rate of returnees is plateauing in part due to lack of security, damaged infrastructure, and unavailability of basic services in their places of origin.
The Global Detention Project published a report on the failure of Moroccan authorities to protect asylum seekers. The project found evidence of deep-seated xenophobia and anti-Black racism in raids and mass forced removals targeting sub-Saharan migrants and argues that the country’s long-awaited migration and asylum legal reforms are not progressing.