refugee crisis

This briefing sets out Oxfam’s challenge to world leaders who fail to resolve conflicts, permit warring parties to ignore International Humanitarian Law, and do everything possible to keep the world’s refugees and displaced people from their doors.

Every day, boatloads of people fleeing war and poverty arrive on the small Greek Island of Lesbos from Turkey. They have risked their lives on a dangerous voyage with no guarantees. They are now stranded in Greece, without hope of continuing their journey to Europe. They need your help. 

The return of people from Greece to Turkey takes Europe yet another step closer to a policy of deterrence and indifference, Oxfam says in reaction to deportations starting today.

When European leaders discuss border closures by countries on the Western Balkans migrant route at their meeting in Brussels today, they put border security ahead of people’s safety, Oxfam criticized.

Selective border closures and quota for people on the move greatly increase human suffering and clearly infringe international and European law that protect the right to seek asylum, a coalition of 26 NGOs criticise in a joint statement.

Oxfam welcome the European Commission’s proposal a new humanitarian aid mechanism to support people on the move. However, European leaders need to find political solutions to overcome the migration crisis.

The governments of rich states today cleared the way for the diversion of development aid away from the poorest.

As the number of people fleeing to Europe passes one million, Oxfam is calling on the international community to address what is a global crisis. The uncomfortable truth is that the conflicts and brutality fuelling refugee migration have grown in recent years to unprecedented levels. 

Oxfam is dismayed by the results of the European summit, which has strengthened a security-led approach to border control as the principal response of Europe to the plight of people arriving at its borders.

Tanzania is currently hosting over 110,000 Burundians within two camps, Nyarugusu and Nduta, which was recently opened to relieve overcrowding. More refugees continue to arrive in their hundreds every day and aid agencies face difficult decisions about where to use their limited resources.