There were 25 338 migrants that made this journey in the first 19 weeks of this year.

628 died attempting it.

Italy,  with 41% of the traffic, once again took in the lion’s share of African migrants.

This was followed by Greece with 38%, leaving Spain with 21%. 

This year’s number is less than half the number who landed in the same period last last and about 13% of the number of migrants in 2016.

The International Organisation For Migration says the largest number of migrants coming to Europe from North Africa are Tunisians, followed by Eritreans, Nigerians, Sudanese, Pakistanis, Malians, Guineans and Senegalese.

The post Decrease in number of illegal migrants crossing to Europe from North Africa appeared first on Jean-Jacques Cornish.

Formerly terrorist group acting violently for their own gain now appear to have a political agenda to oust the President who’s constitutional mandate expired more than a year ago.

International Organisation for Migration chief of mission for the Congo Jean Philipe Chauzy says world attention on increasing violence in Kasinga has taken eyes off  what’s happening in the Eastern DRC.

About 70 groups in the sensitive area bordering Uganda, Rwanda, Tanzania, Burundi and Zambia are set on removing President Joseph Kabila.

The consequences of escalating violence in the theatre for what’s become known as  Africa’s world war 30 years ago are dire.

The post Militia in Eastern DRC uniting against Kabila, warns UN expert appeared first on Jean-Jacques Cornish.

Authoritative UN bodies say this is the tip of the iceberg.

They’ve recorded 40-million cases of modern slavery in 2016.

The International Labour Organization and the International Organization for Migration  say they’ve documented 25 million cases of forced labour and coercion.

They also have 15 million cases of forced marriage on their books.

A quarter of cases in the first category are in private homes.

But there are also modern slaves in factories, on construction sites, farms and fishing boats.

The victims are either too scared, drugged or too far from home to have any chance of escaping.

The post UN bodies record 40 million cases of modern slavery appeared first on Jean-Jacques Cornish.

Closer examination shows there’s a tragic contradiction in the figures he cites in his state of union speech.

The number of people who succumb while making the crossing from Africa into Europe has indeed gone down in 2017.

But for those who brave the Mediterranean in unseaworthy boats the risk of dying  is greater.

The International Organization for migration figures show the number of arrivals have fallen more sharply than the number of deaths.

In 2015,  268 migrants arrived safely for every death.

Last year that figure was 70.

This year its fallen even further to 50.

The post Risk of dying is greater for migrants crossing the Mediterranean appeared first on Jean-Jacques Cornish.

However significantly more of them are dying in their desperate attempt to find a better life.

ends intro

The IOM summer school in Prague has heard that 288,005 migrants and refugees entered Europe by sea in 2016 by last weekend.

This doesn’t include the many hundreds rescued on Sunday and Monday who are now on their way to Italian ports.

Total migrant and refugee arrivals in the Mediterranean in 2016 are nearly 100 000 lower than at this time in 2015. This is due mainly to the sharp drop in arrivals to Greece since late March this year.

At the same time confirmed Mediterranean fatalities among migrants and refugees by last weekend stands at 3,176 – the figure does not include 15 bodies reportedly recovered on Monday.

The post Fewer migrants have crossed the Mediterranean from Africa this year, but more have died trying appeared first on Jean-Jacques Cornish.