UNHCR calls on Austria EU Presidency to lead and unite EU countries towards a fair and functioning asylum system.

Grandi calls for greater efforts to debunk myths around refugee crises UNHCR chief reiterates that vast majority of refugees are in neighboring countries, not Europe or US.

UNHCR, the UN Refugee Agency, applauds Spain for its actions today in bringing to an end a sea-rescue crisis on the Mediterranean after a ship, the Aquarius, was refused permission to land and disembark elsewhere more than 600 rescued people. After spending over a week at sea, and with some having been transferred from the Aquarius to two Italian ships, the over 600 people were finally disembarked today in the port of Valencia, where their needs will be assessed, including identifying any who might be at risk and in need of international protection. UNHCR has offered support to the Spanish authorities. “We’re grateful this ordeal is over for all involved, but this incident is something that should never have happened in the first place,” said Filippo Grandi, United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees. “Rescue at sea is too important a principle to jeopardize, and any wavering about disembarkation presents grave peril not just to refugees and migrants but to anyone in difficulty at sea.” UNHCR advocates for assured and predictable regional disembarkation in situations of rescue at sea - and following disembarkation, for proper responsibility sharing arrangements, to avoid situations in which countries are penalized by being left to manage processing and follow up alone. UNHCR is ready to work with States of the Mediterranean to achieve this.

UNHCR calls on Austrian Government to keep refugee protection at centre of asylum law amendments. On 09 May 2018 UNHCR published its legal analysis on the draft amendments to the asylum law, calling on the Austrian Government to uphold its commitment to protection sensitive asylum policies.

UNHCR, the UN Refugee Agency, is calling on the Greek Government to urgently improve conditions and expand reception capacity, following a recent rise in arrivals at Evros via the land border with Turkey. Hundreds of people are at present being held in police detention facilities.

Despite a drop in the number of refugees and migrants reaching Europe last year, the dangers many face along the way have in some cases increased, according to Desperate Journeys report by UNHCR, the UN Refugee Agency, setting out changing patterns of movement.

Since November, UNHCR has evacuated 1,084 refugees out of Libya. 770 of them were taken to Niger and 312 to Italy. Cooperation of UNHCR's partners and support by the governments of Niger, Libya and Italy crucial.

UNHCR very concerned by reports from asylum seekers of sexual harassment and violence in sub-standard reception centres on the Greek islands, despite welcomed Government measures to address overcrowding and dire living conditions.

After reports of some 160 deaths in the Mediterranean, UNHCR renews its appeal to countries for help in saving human lives by offering more resettlement places and other safe alternatives to protection for refugees, including through family reunification.

UNHCR evacuated vulnerable refugees straight from Libya to Italy for the first time.