The United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees (UNHCR) said in a report today that the majority of the 137,000 people who crossed the Mediterranean Sea into Europe during the first six months of 2015 were fleeing from war, conflict or persecution, making the Mediterranean crisis primarily a refugee crisis.
It has become increasingly common for media to refer to those crossing the Mediterranean as only 'migrants'.
The UNHCR report can be read here.
"As Europe debates the best way to deal with the rising crisis on the Mediterranean, we must be clear: most of the people arriving by sea in Europe are refugees, seeking protection from war and persecution," António Guterres, UN High Commissioner for Refugees, said.
The UNHCR report makes the following six major findings:
1. The majority of those taking the sea route to Europe are refugees, and their numbers continue to rise rapidly. Most people arriving by sea are fleeing from war, conflict or persecution at home, as well as deteriorating conditions in many refugee-hosting countries. EU States have a clear responsibility to offer them protection, and an obligation along with others to rescue people in danger at sea.
2. The number of deaths at sea rose to record levels in April 2015, then dropped significantly in May and June. While many factors contributed to the recent decline, improved European-led search-and-rescue operations beginning in May have had an immediate and positive impact. Yet the peak months still lie ahead.
3. There has been a major increase in refugees and migrants taking the 'eastern Mediterranean route' from Turkey to Greece. More than 85 per cent of those arriving in Greece are from countries experiencing war and conflict, principally Syria, Afghanistan, Iraq and Somalia. From Greece, most move onwards across the Balkans to western and northern Europe. Italy remains the primary destination for Eritreans, Somalis and other people from sub-Saharan Africa.
4. As arrivals increase, reception capacity and conditions remain seriously inadequate. While conditions of reception in Italy vary a great deal, serious systemic gaps remain in Greece. The former Yugoslav Republic of Macedonia and Serbia collectively offer fewer than 3,000 places of reception, significantly below the levels of arrivals (19,000 arrivals in the first weeks of June alone). This impacts people with special needs, including unaccompanied and separated children, increasing their vulnerability and risk of exploitation. This is an emergency situation, which requires urgent attention and far greater support for efforts to handle new arrivals. If this situation remains unaddressed, onward movement of refugees and migrants is likely to continue on a significant scale.
5. The number of refugees and migrants entering the western Balkans from Greece has already dramatically increased since the beginning of June, with over 1,000 people entering every day, as opposed to 200 just a few weeks ago. They face serious humanitarian and protection challenges linked to the hardship of the journey, the abuses of smugglers and criminal gangs, and the increasing tightening of the borders.
6. Countries of origin and the international community at large need to do better at preventing and resolving conflicts. Transit countries need to develop their asylum systems, including reception arrangements and identification processes.