Nicosia: Cyprus has emerged as the leading EU member state in the ratio of migrant departures to arrivals in 2024, boasting a percentage of 179%. The absolute number of departures from the island nation reached 10,941, as reported by Minister of the Interior, Konstantinos Ioannou, and Deputy Minister of Migration and International Protection, Nicholas Ioannides.
According to Cyprus News Agency, Ioannou and Ioannides outlined the government’s strategic approach during a press conference on Wednesday, discussing the measures implemented and their impacts. They emphasized the complexity and international dimensions of migration, driven largely by external factors.
Ioannou highlighted the record number of 21,565 asylum applications in 2022, with 17,280 arrivals, 95% of whom entered Cyprus through the Buffer Zone from Sub-Saharan Africa. The influx led to overcrowding at the Pournara Emergency Reception Centre, hosting over 3,000 residents, thrice its capacity.
In response, the government adopted a comprehensive strategy focusing on curbing arrivals, expediting application processes, enhancing infrastructure, and boosting return numbers. Ioannou noted a 69% reduction in asylum seekers from 2022 to 2024, with African applicants decreasing by over 85%. Additionally, measures effectively halted sea arrivals of Syrian nationals since May.
Ioannides reported that 8,213 third-country nationals were repatriated through the voluntary return program in 2024, compared to 4,636 in 2022. A total of 18,055 third-country nationals departed Cyprus by the end of 2024, including those leaving via FRONTEX’s European Reintegration Programme and at their own expense. The Asylum Service recorded 2,517 relocations to other EU states, contributing to the 10,941 total departures in 2024.
Highlighting the first-place ranking in the EU for the departures to arrivals ratio, Ioannides also addressed the situation with Syrian refugees post-Assad regime. Since December 9, 2024, there has been a surge in requests from Syrians to withdraw their applications or revoke their protection status, with 1,367 expressing such intentions by January 31, 2025.
The Pournara centre saw a drastic 90% reduction in residents, from 3,145 in 2022 to 274 in 2024, reflecting the effectiveness of government measures in managing migration challenges.