“The scale of this tragedy, its impact on survivors, families and communities and the frequency with which we witness deaths in transit constitute an intolerable and entirely solvable humanitarian crisis,” says Pär Liljert, Director of the International Organization for Migration (IOM) Office for the UN, referring to one of the world’s deadliest routes for migrants and refugees as they try to reach European Union countries.
In 2023, IOM recorded 8,542 migrant deaths worldwide – the highest since it started collecting this data in 2014 – with 37 percent of these deaths occurring in the Mediterranean, he said.
Echoing this message, Sivanka Dhanapala, who heads the New York office of the UN refugee agency UNCHR, told the Council that the tragedies of lives lost on sea and land routes continue “with no end in sight”.
He said UNHCR has registered more than 350,000 refugees and asylum seekers so far this year, including many Sudanese refugees, seeking protection in North Africa.
Between January and August, more than 134,000 refugees and migrants left North and West Africa for Europe by sea, a drop of 24 percent compared to last year.
On September 17, the IOM Missing Migrants Project reported that 1,450 people were dead or missing during the crossing, a 44 percent drop from 2023, he said, adding that more than 97,000 Sudanese refugees arrived in Libya last year. , where 300 to 400 people continue to arrive every day as the recent conflict in Sudan has driven many to flee.
While the numbers may be declining, concerns remain, he continued.
Lack of protection, safety and refuge
Mr Dhanapala said there has been no improvement in access to protection along key routes, in addition to an increase in problems related to access to territory and asylum, evidenced by an increase in interceptions and collective expulsions.
A report from the UN refugee agency highlights major gaps in access to protection and humanitarian assistance along the routes and people moving face a high risk of death, gender-based violence, kidnapping for ransom, human trafficking, theft and other physical violence , he said, citing a new joint report from UNHCR, IOM and the Mixed Migration Centre.
To address this dire situation, he made a series of recommendations, including that human rights guarantees should be upheld, access to protection should be strengthened, smugglers should be prosecuted and search and rescue operations at sea should be increased.
“Saving lives at sea and providing humanitarian assistance is one of humanity’s most fundamental obligationsand those who conduct rescue operations or assist in good faith should not be punished to do this,” he said, adding that efforts should focus on inclusion, resettlement and complementary pathways for refugees and migrants, while addressing root causes.
IOM: Conflict between key drivers
IOM’s Mr Liljert said the main drivers are economic reasons (44 percent), war and conflict (29 percent) and the desire to escape personal or targeted violence (26 percent), according to the agency’s Displacement Matrix (DTM) . ) data from 2023 and 2024.
These hardships are compounded by the devastation caused by disasters, exacerbated by climate change, and by challenges in host countries, he said, citing Libya as an example.
Nearly 70 percent of migrants IOM interviewed in Libya in June and July said high food prices were the main shock they experienced before leaving the country, while 63 percent cited low or reduced daily wages.
At the same time, an independent UN fact-finding mission in Libya found that the country is not considered a safe place for disembarkation, with reports of rights abuses including detention, torture and human trafficking.
Increasingly dangerous routes
Mr Liljert said migrants are taking even more dangerous routes to reach Europe, as evidenced by the sharp increase in arrivals on the West African Atlantic route.
The international community must not allow the Sahara and the Mediterranean Sea to “continue to become mass graves for migrants,” he warned, calling for a stronger focus on search and rescue operations to save lives.
“We must go beyond reactive measures…with a holistic approach that addresses the adverse factors of irregular migration,” he said, strongly encouraging the expansion of humanitarian pathways for those seeking safe refuge, including temporary protection permits, private sponsorship and family reunification.
“By adopting these measures,” he said, “we can not only reduce the immense human suffering associated with irregular migration, but also create long-term, sustainable solutions that promote peace, stability and shared responsibility.”
