More than one million refugees travel to Greece since 2015
UNHCR says latest milestone an urgent reminder of need for more coordinated approach to manage influx.
GENEVA, March 16 (UNHCR) - The UN Refugee Agency said today that more than one million people, mostly refugees from Syria, Iraq and Afghanistan, have now crossed into Greece since the start of 2015.
UNHCR called the milestone an urgent reminder of the need for a more coordinated approach to managing the influx and protecting people who are fleeing war and persecution.
The agency has repeatedly appealed to European governments, and the European Union, for strong leadership and a vision to address what Filippo Grandi, the UN High Commissioner for Refugees, said was "as much a crisis of European solidarity as it is a refugee crisis."
UNHCR said latest figures showed that up to March 14 more than 143,634 people had travelled to Greece from Turkey this year, taking the total of land and sea arrivals into Greece since January 1, 2015 to 1,000,357.
So far 448 people have drowned or gone missing trying to reach safety in Europe this year compared to a total of 3,771 for last year. For more information, click here.
UNHCR previously reported that more than one million people reached Europe overall last year, but that figure included arrivals across the central Mediterranean route from Libya to Italy.
The new figures showed women and children now make up nearly 60 per cent of sea arrivals, compared to less than 30 per cent in June 2015.
Although the Greek authorities and military have ramped up their response, thousands are sleeping in the open without adequate reception, services, aid or information.
The latest figures came as UNHCR Special Envoy Angelina Jolie Pitt was visiting Greece today on behalf of UN. The Special Envoy's mission will concentrate on the humanitarian situation of thousands of refugee families in Greece. For more information, click here.
Jolie Pitt yesterday (March 15) called on world governments to show leadership in addressing the Syrian and wider global refugee crisis, during a visit to Lebanon's Bekaa Valley to mark the fifth anniversary of the start of the Syria conflict.
The five-year conflict has fuelled the worst humanitarian crisis of our time, with 4.8 million Syrians forced to seek refuge in neighbouring countries and a further 6.6 million displaced inside the country.
"On this day, the fifth anniversary of the Syria conflict, that is where I had hoped to be - in Syria, helping UNHCR with returns and watching the families I have come to know be able to go home. It is tragic and shameful that we seem still so far from that point," the Special Envoy told yesterday's news conference.
She called on governments to find diplomatic solutions to the crisis, and to look at what more they themselves can do to provide safety to those fleeing persecution and war.
The Special Envoy said: "We are at an exceptionally difficult moment internationally, when the consequences of the refugee crisis seem to be outstripping our will and capacity and even our courage to respond to it."
She went on to say "we cannot manage the world through aid relief in the place of diplomacy and political solutions," adding that, "it is not a time for emotion. It is a time for reason and calm and foresight."
"Leadership in this situation is about doing more than simply protecting your borders or putting forward more aid," the Special Envoy said. "My plea today is that we need governments around the world to show leadership, to analyze the situation, to understand exactly what their countries can do, how many refugees they can assist and how."
Related news and stories
Ukraine's refugees find long-term support in Europe's host countries
Women-run businesses in Afghanistan dealt a blow by deepening restrictions
Earthquake survivors in Türkiye count the devastating toll
Twelve years on, Syrian refugees face deepening debt and hunger
Twelve years on, Syrian refugees face deepening debt and hunger
UNHCR launches new appeal for Afghan refugees and hosts, urging partners to stay the course
Your search for « refugee crisis » matched 8657 results. Only the first 1,000 results are displayed. Displaying page 8 of 112 pages.
-
Sadruddin Aga Khan (Iran): 1966-1977
... in sub-Saharan Africa and Asia. He also played a key role during the Bangladesh refugee crisis in 1971 and in assisting Asians expelled from Uganda in 1972. Read Sadruddin Aga Khan's ...... -
Theo James
... Theo said, “The mission with UNHCR felt deeply personal but more importantly it was eye opening. We are all aware of how complex and politically charged the refugee crisis in Greece is. But to meet ...... -
With Syria refugee crisis, Lebanese health services improve
6 Sep 2016 ... healthcare services in the whole country, making support for those outside the capital, like Ola, especially hard. " A closer look at the impact of the refugee crisis reveals a lesser-known reality." ...... -
UNHCR chief discusses refugee crisis with Jordan's King Abdullah
12 Feb 2008 ... of Damascus. In addition to reviewing the refugee agency's operations, Guterres intends to ... In 2008, the refugee agency is focusing on getting assistance to 400,000 of the most vulnerable of ...... -
Fiftieth Anniversary of the Hungarian uprising and refugee crisis
23 Oct 2006 ... one of the tensest periods of the Cold War, as well as a remarkable response to the ensuing refugee crisis which brought substantial benefits to future generations of refugees all across the world. ...... -
Dianna Agron
... her friends, family and fans to get behind the #WithRefugees campaign calling for world leaders to act in solidarity and take shared responsibility in their response to the global refugee crisis. ...... -
Félix Schnyder (Switzerland): 1960-1965
... He also secured General Assembly support to mediate between governments during global refugee crises, most notably in assisting Rwandan refugees in the Great Lakes region, and played an important role ...... -
Jordan 2014
... UNHCR’s Representative in Jordan, Andrew Harper, gave an overview of the Syrian refugee crisis. Over nine million Syrians are displaced within or outside Syria and 600,000 are in Jordan. David spoke ...... -
Greece: Refugee Crisis in Europe
28 Jul 2015 ... 0 Over 100,000 refugees have arrived to Greece by sea this year. UNHCR is mobilizing emergency teams, resources and delivering basic humanitarian assistance in order to address the most urgent gaps ......