UNHCR urges Cypriot and Irish presidencies to strengthen asylum systems, external aid and protection as displacement remains at critical levels

BRUSSELS, 15 January – As displacement globally remains at high levels, driven by conflict and persecution, UNHCR, the UN Refugee Agency, calls on the Cypriot and Irish EU Presidencies to reinforce the EU’s leadership in enhancing protection and solutions for forcibly displaced people.

With the EU Pact on Migration and Asylum set to enter into force in June 2026, the coming months are critical to ensure its fair and consistent implementation that safeguards access to asylum for those in need. UNHCR urges the Presidencies to champion principled implementation of the EU’s reformed asylum system and to strengthen the Union’s engagement along key displacement routes. These efforts can deliver solutions for forcibly displaced people and bolster stability in fragile regions where most displaced people originate or reside.

“Now is an opportunity to demonstrate that implementing the Pact – together with active engagement along key displacement and migration routes – can deliver strong asylum systems, uphold rights and ensure orderly borders” said Jean-Nicolas Beuze, UNHCR Representative to the EU.

UNHCR calls on the Presidencies to ensure that the new rules are applied consistently across Member States, with robust safeguards, quality asylum procedures, and reception conditions that meet standards. Effective implementation will help ease pressure at borders, reduce backlogs, and allow refugees to contribute positively to host communities faster.

Member States must genuinely cooperate to put in place a solidarity mechanism that shares responsibility more equitably and eases pressure on frontline countries. Complementary measures such as strengthening the return system for those who are not refugees, if implemented within certain parameters and in line with human rights standards, can support the Pact.

Despite a recent decline in irregular arrivals in the EU, many people still risk dangerous journeys to Europe, facing abuse by traffickers or life-threatening conditions at sea and in deserts. It is important to strengthen search and rescue and ensure predictable disembarkation, while helping people find safety and assistance closer to home so that they do not need to resort to dangerous journeys.

“We are counting on the leadership of Cyprus and Ireland to build on European values and norms to showcase that there is a European way of protecting those fleeing wars and persecution – not only in Europe but along their journey to safety,” Beuze added.

The Presidencies should continue promoting a whole-of-route approach that prioritizes dignified and sustainable solutions for people on the move, whether their journeys lead to Europe or elsewhere. This includes stronger financial and technical support to countries and communities hosting displaced people along the route, expanding refugees’ access to asylum and documentation as well as to health, education, shelter and livelihoods opportunities.

At a time of uncertainty about the future of international aid, the EU must demonstrate its commitment by providing sustained and predictable resources, from immediate humanitarian relief to long-term development interventions. Strategic partnerships with third countries are vital to fostering stability and laying the groundwork for future cooperation – especially as Europe is impacted by crises in Ukraine, Syria, Afghanistan, the Sahel and Sudan. The Pact for the Mediterranean should be prioritized, ensuring that partnerships with countries along those routes place protection at the core, include human rights safeguards, monitoring mechanisms, and provide access to asylum while expanding safe and legal alternatives.

Given their demographic and economic needs, Member States should facilitate refugees’ access to labor and education opportunities in the EU, and consider pathways for those with specific vulnerabilities, who are most often equally talented and capable.

On displacement from Ukraine, UNHCR encourages the Presidencies to work with Member States to continue providing protection via temporary protection , while also developing transitions to other solutions. It is important to help refugees make informed decisions, whether they return or stay, and robustly support the reintegration and reconstruction of Ukraine without neglecting humanitarian needs. In Syria, the EU and international community need to step up support for early recovery and reconstruction to create conditions for safe, voluntary and sustainable returns.

UNHCR welcomes the EU’s significant increase in support for forced displacement in 2025 and urges the Presidencies to build on this momentum to expand it further, including through dedicated and substantial budget in the next Multiannual Financial Framework. Continued investment is essential to address the root causes of displacement and strengthen solutions along key routes, by supporting host and transit countries and communities, particularly in fragile regions.

UNHCR stands ready to support the Presidencies with pragmatic and principled recommendations to reinforce Europe’s leadership on refugee protection and solutions.

Read the full text of UNHCR’s Recommendations here.

For more information and interview requests contact:

Christine Pirovolakis: [email protected], +44 7931 832164

Aoife Kavanagh: [email protected], +32 470 098059