The number of migrants who tried to cross the Mediterranean to Europe increased significantly in 2023, according to the United Nations (UN), automatically leading to an increase in the number of people who died or went missing during these perilous attempts.
“As of September 24, more than 2,500 people were recorded as dead or missing” since the start of the year, an increase of almost 50% in comparison “to 1,680 people during the same period” of 2022, declared Thursday, September 28, Ruven Menikdiwela, director of the office of the UN High Commissioner for Refugees (UNHCR). “Lives are also being lost on land, away from public attention”she insisted during a meeting in New York of the Security Council devoted to the migrant crisis in the Mediterranean.
“The journey from West Africa or East Africa and the Horn of Africa to Libya and departure points on the coast remains one of the most dangerous in the world”she indicated. “Refugees and migrants traveling overland routes from sub-Saharan Africa risk death and serious human rights violations at every step”.
Call for a “regional disembarkation and distribution mechanism”
According to its figures, between 1er January and September 24, 2023, a total of 186,000 migrants arrived in southern Europe (Italy, Greece, Cyprus and Malta), including 130,000 in Italy, “an increase of 83% compared to the same period of 2022”.
As for the countries of departure, between January and August 2023, more than 102,000 migrants attempted to cross the Mediterranean from Tunisia, and 45,000 from Libya. Of this number, 31,000 were rescued at sea or intercepted and disembarked in Tunisia, and 10,600 in Libya, she added.
Referring to the recent massive arrivals on the Italian island of Lampedusa, she also underlined that Italy “could not meet needs alone” of these migrants. Before repeating the UNHCR’s call to “the establishment of a regional disembarkation and redistribution mechanism” people arriving by sea. A controversial issue among European Union (EU) member states.
Russia gets involved
The Russian ambassador to the UN, Vassili Nebenzia, who had requested this meeting of the Council, also blamed the EU, denouncing its responsibility in the “death trap” that the Mediterranean represents. “We have the impression that the European Union is waging an undeclared war against migrants who are dying because they have no other, safer route”he said.
“The EU only deals with the migration issue when it concerns Ukrainians”he added, deploring that other migrants do not enjoy the “same level of solidarity”.
Russia “as always is absent when it comes to concretely responding to humanitarian crises”responded French Ambassador Nicolas de Rivière, referring to Russian contributions to the UNHCR budget.
” The presence [du groupe paramilitaire russe] Wagner in the Sahel contributes to the instability of the region, which fuels terrorism and leads to population displacements”he added.