{"id":7516,"date":"2024-04-09T21:00:57","date_gmt":"2024-04-09T18:00:57","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/ch.jfdi.cc\/?p=7516"},"modified":"2024-04-09T21:00:57","modified_gmt":"2024-04-09T18:00:57","slug":"migration-has-a-humanitarian-aspect","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/ch.jfdi.cc\/?p=7516","title":{"rendered":"\u2018Migration has a humanitarian aspect\u2019"},"content":{"rendered":"
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Cyprus\u2019 proximity to regions experiencing long-term political crises and military conflicts leaves no room for complacency over handling migration, Interior Minister Constantinos Ioannou said on Tuesday.<\/p>\n

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In a speech at the 14th<\/sup>\u00a0Nicosia Economic Congress, the minister underlined the humanitarian aspect of migration.
\n\u201cMigration is a phenomenon that has existed throughout the centuries and is here to stay.\u00a0People\u2019s need for a safer and better life, unrest and wars, geopolitical instability, as well as the climate crisis and other socio-economic factors, will always push them to choose migration.\u201d
\nIoannou highlighted that the majority of \u2018irregular migrants\u2019 that come to Cyprus are victims of smuggling rings, promised access to work and large sums of state funding.
\nAs such, the government moved to make changes, including altering the rules for asylum seekers. Instead of having to wait one month since they submitted their application, this has been increased to nine months \u201cthus limiting their access to financial resources.\u201d
\nIn collaboration with the labour ministry, the government moved to increase inspections to\u00a0clamp down on illegal employment\u00a0and also linked the asylum service with that of labour so employers would be able to verify an asylum seeker\u2019s status, Ioannou said.
\nThe government also launched an online information campaign primarily targeting sub-Saharan African countries, to showcase \u201cthe real facts\u201d in Cyprus.
\nAdditionally, there was a strong focus on\u00a0breaking down smuggling rings, creating a special unit in the migration department.
\nAs a result, arrivals dropped by 37 per cent, while asylum applications dropped by almost 50 per cent, Ioannou said.
\nAsylum seekers from\u00a0African countries dropped by 85 per cent, he added.
\nWorks have also been carried out to improve the infrastructure at Pournara and limiting migrants\u2019 movements, while efforts are underway at the Kofinou centre for individuals with international protection.
\n\u201cConstruction works have begun for the creation of a pre-departure centre in Menogeia, with the capacity to accommodate approximately 800 people.\u201d Ioannou described it as a \u201cvery important step in achieving the goal of strengthening the deportation sector.\u201d
\nThe minister stressed a lot of emphasis has been given to the programme of voluntary returns, with\u00a0financial incentives ranging from \u20ac1,000 to \u20ac1,500, depending on the country of origin.
\n\u201cHaving implemented specific measures, Cyprus ranks first in the European Union in terms of the percentage of departures over arrivals and fourth in absolute numbers of returns and expulsions,\u201d he told the conference.
\nIn tandem to the above, Ioannou highlighted integration and social inclusion of immigrants is equally important. To this end \u201cwe have proceeded to draw up a comprehensive policy, which includes 50 actions concerning housing, employment, improving skills, education and health.
\n\u201cThe Action Plan for the Integration and Social Inclusion of Migrants 2024-2026 is now under public consultation, which will be completed within the month, so that\u00a0implementation can begin within the year.\u201d<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"

Interior Minister Constantinos Ioannou highlighted the importance of handling migration in Cyprus due to the country’s proximity to regions with political crises and conflicts. The government has implemented changes to asylum rules, increased inspections to prevent illegal employment, launched an online information campaign, and focused on breaking down smuggling rings. As a result, arrivals and asylum applications have decreased, with a significant drop in asylum seekers from African countries. The government is also working on improving infrastructure and creating a pre-departure center to strengthen the deportation sector. Additionally, Cyprus ranks first in the EU for the percentage of departures over arrivals and fourth in absolute numbers of returns and expulsions. Integration and social inclusion of immigrants are also important, with a comprehensive policy in place for housing, employment, skills improvement, education, and health.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":3,"featured_media":7517,"comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"Default","format":"standard","meta":{"_acf_changed":false,"footnotes":""},"categories":[4],"tags":[1521,4433,1794,2726,1221,694,2858,2542,1625,2261,5255,3,1167,405,27,379,2404,304,308,250,3330,415,210,1235,2553,1295,1823,2554,187,986,839,15,1259,821,3504,3331,406,1012,4833,4692,4448,4441,5736,2178,2687],"class_list":["post-7516","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-cyprus","tag-1521","tag-arrivals","tag-asylum","tag-asylum-seekers","tag-campaign","tag-climate-crisis","tag-collaboration","tag-conference","tag-construction","tag-construction-works","tag-crisis","tag-cyprus","tag-draw","tag-education","tag-employment","tag-eu","tag-european-union","tag-funding","tag-geopolitical","tag-google","tag-google-news","tag-government","tag-health","tag-humanitarian","tag-illegal-employment","tag-inclusion","tag-increase","tag-inspections","tag-international","tag-irregular-migrants","tag-labour","tag-labour-ministry","tag-migrants","tag-migration","tag-military","tag-news","tag-nicosia","tag-numbers","tag-policy","tag-pournara","tag-protection","tag-service","tag-smuggling-rings","tag-state-funding","tag-victims"],"acf":{"keyphrase":"","keywords":"","sourceimg":"","country-category":""},"yoast_head":"\n\u2018Migration 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