An estimated 5,000 of the 18,700 people that arrived since 2002 from Libya remain in Malta, according to a publication released yesterday – debunking myths flagged by those who militate against migration from sub-Saharan Africa.
There are also as many Eritreans as there are Russians and Serbians living in Malta. While a third of non-Maltese on the island hail from the UK, five per cent come from Italy and another five per cent from Somalia. Bulgarians and Germans make up another eight per cent together.
At the same time, the top five foreign nationalities working in Malta come from the UK, Italy, the Philippines, Bulgaria and Hungary.
These are a few of the figures published for MEP candidates in a booklet by the UNHCR and the European Parliament’s information office in Malta, just a week before the EP discussed reinforcing Frontex in Strasbourg.
The booklet, which gathers UNHCR statistics, Eurostat and National Statistics Office data, includes information about asylum and migration in Malta, the Mediterranean, Europe and the Middle East.
It will be distributed among MEP candidates, other stakeholders and promoted on social media by the EP information office.
While the European average of foreigners residing in a country stands at 6.6 per cent, with Luxembourg having more than 40 per cent, followed by Switzerland at 20 per cent, Malta has one of the lowest figures: 4.9 per cent.
But Malta had one of the largest numbers of asylum seekers per 1,000 inhabitants. While there were 20 asylum seekers for every 1,000 between 2009 and 2013, there were 19 in Sweden, 17 in Liechtenstein and 12 in Luxembourg.
The UNHCR and European Parliament offices in Malta are hoping that this publication contributes to a “well-informed dialogue in asylum and migration topics”.
The publication zeroes in on the refugee crisis hitting Syria as well as asylum seeker movements in the Mediterranean.
It was released as 4,000 migrants were rescued off Italy between Tuesday and Wednesday.
“The arrival of 4,000 people is a big challenge for Italy and its reception system. But this needs to be seen within the wider context. Lebanon gets some 2,000 arrivals every day,” Jon Hoisaeter, UNHCR’s representative to Malta said during the launch.
Lebanon – which is only 10 times as large as Malta – has already received more than a million refugees since the start of the Syrian crisis.
In all, more than 2.5 million people fled the conflict, and last year Malta received 247 applications for asylum from Syrians.
Mr Hoisaeter noted that, although there was no space for speculation, and migration patterns could not be predicted, this year movement in the Mediterranean seemed larger and Europe needed to be ready for all eventualities.
The information gathered by UNHCR shows that, since 2007, there were more than 2,700 deaths in the Mediterranean Sea. The most deadly year on record was 2011, when an estimated 1,500 people perished. Some 500 people drowned in just two incidents last year.
Peter Agius, who heads the EP office in Malta, said one of the first tasks for the newly-elected MEPs will be to participate in the grilling of the new EU Commissioners, including the one designated as responsible for migration policy.
Migration in numbers
• 1.7 million people migrate to the EU each year.
• 1.3 million migrate to other countries from the EU.
• 5,000 of the 18,700 people that arrived since 2002 from Libya remain in Malta.
• Less than four per cent of Syrians who fled the conflict have sought safety in Europe.
• Malta got more than €90 million between 2007 and 2013 in EU solidarity funds.
• More than 45,000 people arrived by boat in Italy, Malta and Greece in 2013.
• 71 per cent of all asylum seekers in 2013 were granted international protection in Malta.