‘Urgent need’ to scale up search and rescue in the Mediterranean
New York: UN agencies have called for search and rescue to be stepped up in the central Mediterranean, in the wake of a tragic shipwreck that claimed the lives of 45 migrants and refugees, including five children.
Interception, no solution to address migrants crossing English Channel
New York: Intercepting boats full of migrants attempting to cross the English Channel, is not the solution to deter them from attempting to reach the United Kingdom, UN agencies have stressed, warning that deployment of large naval vessels to block small, flimsy dinghies could lead to fatal incidents.
IOM reports 160 illegal immigrants rescued off Libyan coast
Tripoli/Xinhua: The International Organization for Migration (IOM) on Tuesday said that 160 illegal immigrants have been rescued off the Libyan coast recently.
Countries urged to target smugglers after 27 migrants die at sea
New York: Two UN agencies are calling for greater action to dismantle smuggling and trafficking networks following the deaths of 27 migrants off the coast of Mauritania, northwest Africa.
New York/IBNS: The International Organization for Migration (IOM) launched an urgent $7 million appeal on Thursday, to ease the impact of COVID-19 on migrant communities in five Central Asian countries and the Russian Federation, where the pandemic is pushing a growing number of migrant workers into poverty.
Migrants stranded ‘all over the world’ and at risk from coronavirus
New York/IBNS: Thousands of migrants have been stranded “all over the world” where they face a heightened risk of COVID-19 infection, the head of UN migration agency, IOM, said on Thursday.
'Everyone at risk’ as coronavirus cases tick up among migrants and refugees sheltering in Greece
New York/IBNS: With 23 migrants at an open accommodation site in central Greece testing positive for COVID-19, the International Organization for Migration (IOM) sounded the alarm on Thursday over conditions in crowded reception centres on five Greek islands where the virus risks taking hold.
UN expert raises alarm over migrant, asylum seeker ‘pushbacks’ at Turkey-Greece border
New York/IBNS: Greece must take immediate action to end the violence against migrants and asylum seekers at the border between Turkey and Greece, an independent UN human rights expert said on Monday, expressing alarm at reports of violence at the hands of some Greek security officers and unidentified armed men.
Treat migrants with dignity and respect during pandemic: UN migration agency
New York/IBNS: The importance of treating migrants with dignity and respect has not changed, UN migration agency (IOM), spokesperson Joel Millman has told UN News, adding that the impact the COVID-19 pandemic is having on migrants, highly represented in the food industry, which is now seeing widespread shutdowns, is ‘a huge concern’ to the agency.
Greek police detain 40 illegal migrants at riots on Lesbos Island : reports
Athens/Sputnik/UNI: Greek police have detained 40 irregular migrants over their involvement in recent mass riots in the Moria refugee camp on Greece's Lesbos island that quickly turned into clashes with law enforcement, Greek media reported.
2019: A deadly year for migrants crossing the Americas
New York/IBNS: More than 800 people died last year crossing deserts, rivers and remote lands while migrating across the Americas, making 2019 one of deadliest years on record, the UN migration agency said on Tuesday.
270 million people are migrants, who send home a staggering $689 billion
New York/IBNS: The number of international migrants in 2019 is now estimated at 270 million and the top destination remains the United States, at nearly 51 million, the UN migration agency said on Wednesday.
60,000 young refugees and migrants who arrived in Italy alone lack support
New York/IBNS: United Nations agencies on Friday highlighted the dire needs of thousands of unaccompanied and separated children who have arrived in Italy as refugees, lacking the proper support to transition through to adulthood.
Migratory situation: Eastern Mediterranean accounts for most arrivals
New York: In September, the number of detections of illegal border crossings on Europe’s main migratory routes rose 14% from the previous month to more than 17 200 due to higher arrivals on the Greek islands in the eastern Aegean, revealed The European Border and Coast Guard Agency, also known as Frontex.
Athens urged to fast track asylum seekers amid island shelters crisis – UNHCR
New York: A spike in the number of refugees reaching Greek island reception centres is likely to worsen the situation in already “dangerously overcrowded” facilities there, the UN refugee agency said on Tuesday.