Aid organizations have voiced concern over the humanitarian implications of Friday’s agreement between the European Union and Turkey, aimed at stopping the flow of refugees and migrants entering Europe via Greece’s Aegean islands.
Under the new deal, which came into effect on Sunday, all migrants arriving in Greece will be sent back to Turkey if they do not apply for asylum or if their claim is rejected, with actual returns starting April 4. For every Syrian returned to Turkey, a Syrian migrant already in Turkey will be resettled in the EU, with the total figure capped at 72,000. The “one-in-one-out” plan aims to deter migrants from attempting the sea crossing with the aid of people smugglers.
In particular, questions remain over Greece’s ability to effectively and accurately process large numbers of migrants and refugees. The country is already struggling to cope with an estimated 48,000 people who entered Greece before the deal was brokered and now remain stranded in the country, including 12,000 at Idomeni on the Greece-Macedonia border.
Read more #AcrossBorders Week Four stories:
► #AcrossBorders and the future: From destination to integration
► Europe looks forward: What does the refugee crisis mean for #globaldev?
About the author
Naomi Mihara
Naomi Mihara is an Associate Editor for Devex, working on creative and audiovisual projects. She has a background in journalism and international development, having previously served as an assistant correspondent for Japanese newspaper The Yomiuri Shimbun and as a communications officer for the International Organization for Migration in Southeast Asia. She holds a master’s degree in Multimedia Journalism from Bournemouth University.