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12 January 2017, 17:44

UNHCR reports decline in number of Syrians, Ukrainians seeking asylum in Belarus

BREST, 12 January (BelTA) – The number of Syrians and Ukrainians applying for asylum in Belarus is going down, UNHCR Representative in Belarus Jean-Yves Bouchardy told BelTA on 12 January.

"If we compare 2016 and 2015, the number of asylum applicants in Belarus is decreasing. This is primarily a result of the decline in the number of Ukrainian nationals applying for protection. As for the citizens of other countries, their number remains approximately the same, except for Syrians whose numbers have also shrunk,” the UNHCR Representative said.

A total of 641 people applied to UNHCR for refugee status or subsidiary protection in Belarus in January-October 2016. Most of them were Ukrainians. Afghan nationals took second position followed by Tajiks. There was also a considerable amount of applications from Iraqis.

“Our organization deals with people who apply for refugee status or subsidiary protection. I can say that we are satisfied with the quality of assistance provided to this category of immigrants in Belarus. Besides, I would like to note that we are implementing a project to improve the procedure for determining a person's need for protection in cooperation with Belarusian authorities,” Jean-Yves Bouchardy said.

The UNHCR Representative is on a two-day visit to Brest Oblast. On 12 January, he paid a visit to a temporary stay center for protection seekers and met with the applicants. He will hold talks with partners, representatives of the Office of Citizenship and Migration of the Brest Oblast Executive Committee and the Brest Oblast Office of the Belarusian Red Cross Society.

All in all, 61 people requested asylum or subsidiary protection in Brest Oblast in the period from January to October 2016. Some 400 persons of concern to UNHCR currently live in this Belarusian region.

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