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 « angelina jolie » matched 491 results. Displaying page 9 of 55 pages.
-
Angelina Jolie visits UNHCR for briefings on earthquake operation and other refugee issues
24 Nov 2005 ... GENEVA, November 24 (UNHCR) - Angelina Jolie wrapped up an intensive two days of briefings on a variety of refugee-related issues at the UN refugee agency's headquarters in Geneva late on Wednesday, ...... -
Keep options open for displaced Chechens, urges UNHCR Goodwill Ambassador
25 Aug 2003 ... MOSCOW, August 25 (UNHCR) - The UN refugee agency's Goodwill Ambassador, Angelina Jolie, has concluded her four-day mission to the Russian Federation by calling for all options to be kept open for ...... -
Jolie shares festive cheer with refugees in Lebanon
29 Dec 2004 ... BEIRUT, Dec 29 (UNHCR) - The UN refugee agency's Goodwill Ambassador, Angelina Jolie, has spent her third consecutive Christmas season with refugees and UNHCR staff in the field, this time in Lebanon. ...... -
Angelina Jolie calls for continued support to populations fleeing Libya and humanitarian access to those inside
5 Apr 2011 ... RAS ADJIR, Tunisia The UN refugee agencys Goodwill Ambassador Angelina Jolie travelled on Tuesday morning to the Tunisian-Libyan border to urge greater international support for people fleeing Libya. ...... -
Angelina Jolie and UNHCR chief Guterres shocked at Mediterranean high seas tragedy
6 Apr 2011 ... GENEVA, April 6 (UNHCR) - UN High Commissioner for Refugees António Guterres and UNHCR Goodwill Ambassador Angelina Jolie expressed "deep shock" on Wednesday at the reported drownings of 213 people ...... -
Angelina Jolie and UN refugee chief visit Syrian refugees
20 Jun 2013 ... ZA'ATRI REFUGEE CAMP, Jordan, 20 June (UNHCR) - The UN High Commissioner for Refugees, António Guterres, and UNHCR Special Envoy Angelina Jolie visited Jordan's rapidly expanding Za'atri refugee camp ...... -
Urgent funds needed for Darfur refugees, stresses Jolie
7 Jun 2004 ... IRIBA, Chad, June 7 (UNHCR) - UNHCR Goodwill Ambassador Angelina Jolie has stressed the urgency of funding more assistance for Sudanese refugees in Chad after seeing first-hand the dire situation in ...... -
Jolie laments children's plight in Darfur, calls for more security
27 Oct 2004 ... KHARTOUM, Sudan, Oct 27 (UNHCR) - The need for security and access to displaced people's home villages were the key concerns raised by UNHCR Goodwill Ambassador Angelina Jolie as she ended a three-day ...... -
Jolie appeals for aid to help Sri Lanka's recovery
17 Apr 2003 ... COLOMBO, Sri Lanka, April 17 (UNHCR) - The UN refugee agency's Goodwill Ambassador, Angelina Jolie, has concluded a week-long mission to Sri Lanka by calling on the international community to ......