Newsroom
The Ministry of Interior disclosed an uptick in asylum applications from Syrians, predominantly arriving by sea, citing challenges in managing these individuals due to the perilous conditions in their home country. Conversely, there has been a noteworthy decline in applicants from Nigeria, the Democratic Republic of the Congo, and Cameroon in November 2023 compared to the same month in 2022. The latest data indicates that new asylum applications from March to November 2023 totaled 9,091, marking a substantial 53% decrease from the corresponding period in 2022.
The Ministry highlights a significant drop in African arrivals in Cyprus this year, attributing it to measures such as an information campaign and expedited application processing. However, there is a simultaneous surge in applications from Syrians, presenting management challenges due to the unsafe conditions in their homeland and the lack of a viable return mechanism.
In an unprecedented development in immigration history, the balance of irregular immigrants' departures and arrivals showcases a positive trend, with returns surpassing arrivals by 105%. Irregular arrivals for 2023 reached 10,475, reflecting a notable 60% reduction from the same period in 2022. Departures, encompassing voluntary returns, deportations, and relocations, reached 11,040 between January and November 2023, compared to 5,900 in the corresponding period in 2022.
Furthermore, the Ministry reports 1,680 relocations to other EU Member States through the relocation mechanism from March to December 15, with Germany and France emerging as primary destinations.
[Information from CNA]
