The United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees (UNHCR) urged on Monday, January 10 France, which takes the rotating presidency of the European Union, as well as the Czech Republic which will succeed it, to "
negotiate a lasting reform
" of asylum to put an end to “
rights violations
” at the borders of Europe.
The asylum and migration reform, initiated by the European Commission in September 2020 but which comes up against deep divisions between the 27 EU member states, will be one of the main issues of the French presidency, which has started January 1st.
Read also 16,000 asylum seekers spread across the French regions in 2021
In a document that brings together its recommendations, the UNHCR calls for "
negotiating a sustainable reform of asylum on the basis of the
migration Pact" presented by Brussels, as well as for stepping up "
support for
poor or developing countries" where they live. 85% of refugees. "
We must guarantee access to the territory and address human rights violations at the borders, where violent returns continued in 2021, practices that endanger people's lives and violate human rights, in particular the right to seek asylum
, ”Céline Schmitt, UNHCR spokesperson for France, told AFP. The agency calls for "
investigations
" into these practices.
The Migration Pact "
offers the opportunity to move from an ad hoc approach to a comprehensive, well-managed and predictable common approach
", by strengthening "
intra-European solidarity
", continues the UNHCR. On this last point, the High Commission wants to "
relaunch a European search and rescue operation at sea
", especially in the Mediterranean where only NGO boats are trying to rescue candidates for exile, explained Céline Schmitt. "
At a time when the number of forcibly displaced people in the world is reaching an all-time high, where (...) the number of arrivals in the EU remains manageable, it is essential (...) to re-engage in solidarity towards refugees, between member states themselves and with countries hosting the majority of refugees in the world
, ”said Gonzalo Vargas Llosa, UNHCR representative for European affairs, quoted in a statement.
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By presenting his roadmap for the presidency of the EU, at the beginning of December, the French head of state Emmanuel Macron had pleaded for a Europe which “
knows how to protect its borders
” in the face of migratory crises and outlined a series of reforms, including that of the Schengen area.
He had also warned against a Europe where the right of asylum would be "
misguided
".
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