Quarterly Mixed Migration Updates, Quarter 1 – 2023 (January-March)
This article presents the key updates on mixed migration from six regions around the world during the first quarter of 2023. Links to the full Quarterly Mixed Migration Updates (QMMU) per region are included below.
Asia and the Pacific | Eastern and Southern Africa | Europe| Latin America and the Caribbean | North Africa | West Africa
Asia and the Pacific
Key Updates Quarter 1 – 2023
- Deportation risks for Afghans in neighbouring countries continue: Afghans are at increasing risk of being forcibly returned to Afghanistan from Iran, Pakistan, and Türkiye. Although a humanitarian corridor enabled the arrival of 100 Afghans in Italy, and Iran reportedly approved residence permits for over a million Afghan refugees this quarter, options for seeking international protection for Afghans remain limited.
- Rise in number of Pakistani migrants opting for irregular routes to Europe: Pakistanis are increasingly embarking on dangerous journeys to Europe via Libya and Türkiye. The rise in migration, to a large extent is driven by the country’s worsening economic crisis.
- New initiatives advance regular migration pathways for Indians: India continues to facilitate the migration of skilled workers to Finland, Germany, Italy, and Norway, and other countries outside of the South Asian continent. Bilateral migration agreements with Austria and UK were signed to address rising irregular migration of Indians to Europe.
- Recruitment and regularisation of foreign workers scaled up to address labour shortage in Malaysia: The Malaysian government has launched the Foreign Worker Recruitment Relaxation Plan during the first quarter of 2023 and extended the Workforce Recalibration Program for another year to continue regularising undocumented migrants in the country.
- Viable and sustainable solutions for Rohingya remain distant: While Rohingya continue to face protracted displacement outside of Myanmar, Bangladesh has reiterated its inability to host any more Rohingya refugees as well as its intent to repatriate 1,140 Rohingya to Myanmar.
Thematic Focus: Spotlight on Bangladesh: Labour mobility, irregular migration, and human rights protection
Read the full QMMU
Eastern and Southern Africa | Egypt & Yemen
Key Updates Quarter 1 – 2023
- A sixth failed rainy season in the Horn of Africa has extended the drought crisis exacerbating displacement, with over 3.5 million drought-affected people internally displaced in Ethiopia, and close to 1.5 million drought- and conflict-affected IDPs in Somalia. Around 100,000 Somalis have crossed into Kenya, seeking refuge in Dadaab refugee camps.
- In Q1, 41,453 refugees and migrants arrived in Yemen, compared to 19,652 during the same period last year. This increase signals return to pre-pandemic figures of refugees and migrants moving along the Eastern Route, as also anticipated by IOM.
- Yemenis voluntarily returning to Yemen decreased by 41% this quarter (9,438), compared to the previous quarter (15,922). The worsening humanitarian crisis in Yemen and difficulties entering Saudi Arabia are prompting increased returns of (mainly Ethiopian) migrants back to the Horn of Africa.
- Egyptians (675) and East Africans (Eritreans (518), Sudanese (191), Ethiopians (68) and Somalis (12)) were not among the main nationalities to move along the Central Mediterranean Route and arrive in Italy this quarter. This represents a shift from 2022, when Egyptians were the most represented among arrivals in Italy.
- Uganda’s parliament passed a new law criminalising persons identifying as LGBTQI+, which shall impact not only Ugandans but also LGBTQI+ migrants, refugees and asylum seekers residing in the country, and could spur movements out of the country. HIV-positive LGBTQI+ individuals are particularly targeted and may not be able to access critical health and protection services due to fear of identification.
- Tropical cyclone Freddy has caused large internal and cross-border displacements in Mozambique, Malawi and Madagascar following its trajectory impacting land on two separate occasions in February and March. At least 900 Malawian families fled into Mozambique’s Niassa region.
Thematic Focus: Update on drought crisis and drought-related movements
Read the full QMMU
Europe
Key Updates Quarter 1 – 2023
- Increase in irregular arrivals: Irregular migration to the EU in the last quarter of 2022 was nearly double the same period in the previous year, with most reported to be arriving via the Western Balkan, then the Central Mediterranean routes. Until 9 April, 494 refugees and migrants have died or gone missing in the Mediterranean in 2023; most drowned.
- Serbia’s visa policy change: Visa changes that cut off air routes to Serbia for key nationalities (Burundians, Indians) likely played a role in a shift in dynamics in the first quarter of 2023, reducing the importance of the Western Balkan route relative to the Central Mediterranean.
- Increase in asylum applications: Over the New Year period (1 December to 31 January 2023), Germany registered the most first-time asylum applications, followed by France, Spain, and the UK. Germany also registered the highest relative increase, with applications up 89% in the same period last year.
- Expanding returns: The Swedish Presidency of the European Council is focusing heavily on returns and border security in neighbourhood countries. Technical and financial support – particularly in the Western Balkans – aims to increase returns and interceptions at the region’s ‘internal’ borders.
- Deals on managing migration: Cooperation on migration is increasing between Morocco and Europe, as well as Tunisia and Europe. Memoranda of Understanding was agreed between Spain and Morocco – and talks were held between Italy and Tunisia. The EU also presented new cooperation programmes with Morocco.
- Courts move to protect migrants and refugees: The European Court of Human Rights found Hungarian and Croatian authorities at fault in the deaths of refugees and migrants in 2015 and 2016; courts in Italy and Spain found national authorities’ efforts to repel arriving migrants and refugees unlawful.
- UK seeking to halt irregular arrivals: The UK’s ‘Stop the Boats’ Illegal Migration Bill underwent its first rounds of Parliamentary scrutiny. It has caused controversy for its apparent departure from the international norms around the interpretation of the 1951 Refugee Convention, namely the right of people who reach the territory to lodge an application for asylum.
Thematic Focus: “Stopping the Boats”
Read the full QMMU
Latin America and the Caribbean
Key Updates Quarter 1 – 2023
- According to the latest update of the Interagency Coordination Platform for Refugees and Migrants of Venezuela (R4V), as of March 2023, 7,239,953 Venezuelans had left the country. Of these, 6,095,464 (84%) are in Latin American and Caribbean countries.
- Between April 1 and 30, 2023, Venezuelan Special Protection Permit (PEP) holders and Venezuelan asylum-seekers who have not completed the United Venezuelan Migrant Registry (RUMV) will be eligible for Temporary Protection Status (ETPV) in Colombia. As of March 2023, more than 1,600,000 temporary protection permits (PPT) had been issued.
- Humanitarian actors in the field have reported an increase in Ecuadorians trying to reach Central America by travelling through the Darién Gap. Increases in violence and extortion by criminal groups in Ecuador are some factors that motivate people to leave the country.
- In March 2023, 191,899 “encounters” were reported at the southern border of the United States (US), a decrease of 24% compared to December 2022 (252,012 “encounters”). This decrease could be related
to the development of new legal avenues to enter the US for some nationalities, and by the continuation of Title 42, which prevents people from applying for refugee status at the border. - Faced with the eventual termination of Title 42 in May 2023, the U.S. Government announced a proposed rule that could increase the restrictions for asylum seekers from protection at the country’s southern border. This proposed rule, according to the Homeland Security Department, would encourage people on the move to “take advantage” of the legal, orderly, and safe pathways of regular entry into the U.S. or seek protection in transiting countries.
- On March 24, Canada and the United States expanded their bilateral safe third country agreement (STCA) placed in 2004. This agreement allows authorities from both countries to turn back asylum seekers who claim protection at unofficial entry points. According to the Canadian authorities, nearly 40,000 people entered the province of Quebec in 2022, more than double the number registered in 2019.
- The CBP One™ mobile application (app), reports systematic errors, information entry failures, and
constant breakdowns. Although the app was intended to facilitate the processing of asylum-seekers,
the generation of advance travel authorizations, and the obtaining exemptions from Title 42, human
rights organizations have claimed it uses exclusive algorithms that could increase discrimination and
exclusion of minorities and vulnerable groups.
Thematic Focus: CBP One™: From a basic migratory service portal to a whole system that can decide the future of asylum seekers
Read the full QMMU
North Africa
Key Updates Quarter 1 – 2023
- The UN Independent Fact-Finding Mission on Libya finds evidence of crimes against humanity against Libyans, refugees, and migrants: In their latest report published on 27 March, the Fact-Finding Mission stated that these crimes include arbitrary detention, rape, torture, murder, enslavement, and enforced disappearance, including in places of detention.
- Tunisia overtakes Libya as the country with the most irregular maritime departures to Italy: According to official Italian figures obtained by Agenize Nova, at least 12,083 individuals have arrived in Italy from the Tunisian coast from the start of this year until 13 March. This marks a steep increase of 788% compared to the same period in 2022. This trend represents a shift in migration dynamics in the central Mediterranean, as Libya had previously been the main maritime departure country for people arriving in Italy. Through mid-March, Italy recorded 7,057 arrivals of people who had left Libya.
- Increased anti-Black racist violence in Tunisia: During a National Security Council meeting held on 21 February, the Tunisian President gave a statement on the situation of irregular migrants in Tunisia, which was followed by an increase in anti-Black racist violence targeting sub-Saharan African refugees and migrants in the country (also see Thematic Focus).
- Morocco–EU Migration Cooperation: During an official visit to Morocco in early March, the EU Neighborhood and Enlargement Commissioner presented new cooperation programs with Morocco. The newly introduced assistance package includes a €152 million “comprehensive program on migration.” Morocco and Spain also convened for their first bilateral summit in eight years, which resulted in the signature of two Memoranda of Understanding on migration.
- Expulsions from Algeria: During the first quarter, expulsions from Algeria to Niger continued. As of 15 March, the NGO Alarme Phone Sahara (APS) estimated that the number of people expelled from Algeria had reached at least 9,686, and Médecins Sans Frontières (MSF) declared the situation an “emergency.”
Thematic Focus: Sub-Saharan Refugees and Migrants in Tunisia: An Assessment of Recent Events
Read the full QMMU
West Africa
Key Updates Quarter 1 – 2023
- Jump in Burkinabè refugee numbers: As of 22 February, UNHCR estimated that there were some 70,000 Burkinabè refugees in Mali and Niger, and at the end of March, 45,640 Burkinabè refugees in the coastal countries of Benin, Côte d’Ivoire, Ghana and Togo. The Head of the UNHCR West and Central Africa Bureau highlighted her concern over the significant increase in Burkinabè fleeing to the coastal countries during the quarter.
- Expulsions from Algeria: As of 15 March, the NGO Alarme Phone Sahara (APS) estimated that the number of people expelled from Algeria this year had reached at least 9,686. APS, MSF and IOM all expressed concern during the quarter about the thousands of migrants stranded in northern Niger following expulsion and their lack of access to humanitarian assistance.
- Decrease in Canary Islands arrivals: According to the Spanish Ministry of Interior, the first quarter of the year saw a decrease of 63% in arrivals by sea to the Canary Islands with 2,178 people recorded compared to 5,940 people in the same period last year.
- Deportations from Spain to Senegal: As reported in El Diario, Spain carried out at least two deportation flights to Senegal during the quarter. These flights departed from Madrid and stopped in the Canary Islands en route to Senegal. At least 31 Senegalese were returned during these operations.
- Government organised repatriations from Tunisia: Following a surge in racist incidents targeting refugees and migrants from sub-Saharan Africa in Tunisia, various West African states organised repatriation flights for their citizens, returning at least 1,300 West Africans during the quarter.