In a recent summit held in Cyprus, governments from eight European Union (EU) countries have proposed reassessing certain regions of Syria to be safe for the voluntary return of Syrian refugees.
The EU countries involved, including Poland, Denmark, Greece, Italy, Malta, Cyprus, and Austria, issued a joint statement emphasizing the need for more effective ways to manage Syrian refugee situations.
This suggestion comes against a backdrop of ongoing humanitarian challenges in Syria.
According to the United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees (UNHCR) in Syria, as of the end of 2023, approximately 16.7 million people are in need of humanitarian assistance, marking the highest number since 2011.
A report by the United Nations Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs (OCHA) highlighted the deepening despair in the country throughout the year 2023.
Additionally, Syria faced devastating earthquakes on February 6 and 20, which resulted in the deaths of 5,900 people and injuries to 12,800 others.
These earthquakes further exacerbated the displacement and damaged infrastructure that had already been severely affected by years of conflict.
Many families lost their sources of income, increasing the vulnerability of millions who are unable to meet their basic needs.
The proposal by the eight EU countries to reassess safety conditions in parts of Syria for refugee returns is a significant move that could potentially reshape the approach to the refugee crisis, depending on the security and stability assessments in the proposed safe zones.
Fifteen EU member states have urged the adoption of new strategies to manage the issue of irregular migration, including the formation of agreements with third countries located along major migration routes.
This initiative aims to alleviate the burden on EU member states. According to a report by Prague International Radio in English today, Friday, these countries, including the Czech Republic, have sent a letter to the European Commission advocating for changes to the bloc’s asylum policy.
