The Migration crisis: Weekly snapshot (27 January – 02 February 2020)

Following the recent protests from the migration crisis enveloping the Greek islands, Greek City Times will continue to publish a weekly snapshot on the situation from the Office of the United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees. The latest figures concerning the arrivals of migrants and refugees to Greece via the Aegean islands for the period 27 January – 02 February 2020.

This week, 601 people arrived on the Aegean islands, a decrease from last week’s 754 arrivals but an increase from last year’s 373 arrivals during the same period.

The average daily arrivals on all islands this week equalled 86, compared to 108 in the previous week.

Present Population on the Islands

Some 41,100 refugees and asylum seekers reside on the Aegean islands.

The majority of the population on the Aegean islands are from Afghanistan (48%), Syria (19%) and Somalia (6%).

Women account for 22% of the population, and children for 34%, of whom almost 7 out of 10 are younger than 12 years old.

Approximately 14% of the children are unaccompanied or separated, mainly from Afghanistan.

Entry Points by Sea

Lesvos received the highest number of arrivals (376), followed by the Dodecanese Islands (144) and Samos (81).

This week, 677 asylum-seekers departed (after it was authorised by the authorities), from the Aegean islands to the mainland. Of those, 319 were transferred by the Government with the support of UNHCR to open reception facilities/sites and to ESTIA apartments currently managed by UNHCR.

A.C.