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The News section aims to inform users about recent COI publications or upcoming workshops/conferences. EUAA selects information provided in the News section according to its relevance to the COI and asylum fields. EUAA welcomes suggestions to insert a particular news (event, publication).

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26 April 2021

​EASO publishes a COI report: Nigeria – Trafficking in Human Beings

Today, the European Asylum Support Office (EASO) published a Country of Origin Information (COI) report titled "Nigeria: Trafficking in Human Beings".

After the peak of some 47 000 applications for international protection in 2016, Nigerians have sought asylum in the EU+ less frequently: around 23 000 in 2018-2019 and just above 13 000 in 2020.  So far in 2021 (January-March), Nigerians lodged over 3 600 applications in the EU+. Since 2018, there has been a gradual increase in the share of repeated applications in the same reporting country. In the first three months of 2021, more than each third Nigerian application in the EU+ was lodged repeatedly. In the last six months (October 2020 – March 2021), the number of first instance decisions increased by about a quarter compared to the preceding six months. In the same period, the EU+ recognition rate for Nigerians was 12 %, stable compared to the preceding half a year. At the end of February 2021, some 14 600 Nigerian applications were pending at first instance. More than two thirds of them were awaiting a decision for longer than six months.

This report is part of a series of two COI reports on Nigeria produced in 2021. The reports provide information relevant for international protection status determination for Nigerian applicants, and in particular for use in updating EASO's country guidance development on Nigeria.

The report, EASO COI Report: Nigeria – Trafficking in Human Beings, is an update and expansion of the 2015 EASO COI report on Sex Trafficking of women in Nigeria.

The first chapter is a general overview of trafficking in human beings in Nigeria, and includes the most occurring types of trafficking. It discusses the profiles of the most probable victims of trafficking. The second chapter dives into the modus operandi of trafficking, including networks and roles of traffickers, the debt system and taking of oaths, and the organisation of travel to Europe. The third chapter deals with the situation of returning victims of trafficking to Nigeria, the support possibilities and shelters, the attitude of relatives and organisations towards returnees. The risks of re-trafficking and the factors influencing possible re-trafficking are also discussed. The final chapter treats the role of the state and state organisations in protecting victims of trafficking and prosecuting traffickers.

The report was drafted by the Netherlands Ministry of Foreign Affairs' COI Sector, in accordance with the EASO COI Report Methodology. The report was reviewed by COI specialists from Norway, Landinfo and Switzerland, State Secretariat for Migration (SEM), Division Analysis.

The following external experts have reviewed the report: the Austrian Centre for Country of Origin and Asylum Research and Documentation (ACCORD) and Dr Corentin Cohen. Corentin Cohen is a researcher and has been Oxford/SciencesPo's postdoctoral fellow in 2019-2020. He is a specialist of Nigeria and has researched on networks of sexual exploitation and Nigerian criminal actors in Europe since 2016.

 

The report can be downloaded from the EASO COI Portal.


  • Nigeria

26 April 2021

EASO publishes a COI report: Syria – Socio-economic situation: Damascus city

​Today, the European Asylum Support Office (EASO) published a Country of Origin Information (COI) report titled "Syria: Socio-economic situation: Damascus city".

This report is part of a series of Syria COI reports produced in 2021. The reports provide information relevant for international protection status determination for Syrian applicants, and in particular for use in updating EASO's country guidance development on Syria.

In both January and February 2021, Syrians lodged more than 10 000 applications for international protection in the EU+.[1] While these were the highest numbers since 2016, they included close to 5 000 repeated applications (in the same reporting country) in both months, which was considerably higher than earlier. Over the last six months (September 2020 – February 2021), total applications by Syrians almost doubled compared to the previous six-month period. Syrian applications pending at first instance have increased by 38 % over the last six months, to over 50 400 at the end of February 2021. Over this period, the EU+ recognition rate for Syrians was 86 % (relatively stable compared to the preceding six months).

The report, EASO COI Report: Syria – Socio-economic: Damascus city, provides relevant information regarding the socio-economic situation and internal mobility issues in the city of Damascus, with updated information on 2020 and 2021 where available. The report is an update of the EASO COI Report: Syria – Socio-economic: Damascus city (February 2020).

The report was drafted by the EASO COI Sector, in accordance with the EASO COI Report Methodology.

Additionally, the Country of Origin Information Department of the Austrian Federal Office for Immigration and Asylum provided research contributions during the drafting phase of this report by sharing with EASO the English translation of its COI Syria Country Report.[2]

The report was reviewed by Austria, Federal Office for Immigration and Asylum, Country of Origin Information Department; France, Office for the Protection of Refugees and Stateless Persons (OFPRA), Information, Documentation and Research Division, and the Netherlands, Afdeling Ambtsberichten, Ministry of Foreign Affairs.



[1] This overview is based on EASO Early warning and Preparedness System (EPS) data. Data for February 2021 were missing for two EU+ countries and January data for one country.

[2] Austria, BFA Staatendokumentation [Federal Office for Immigration and Asylum – COI Unit], Country Report on Syria [Updated 22.01.2021], Available from BFA Staatendokumentation

 


  • Syrian Arab Republic

09 April 2021

EASO publishes a COI report: Syria – Military service

Today, the European Asylum Support Office (EASO) published a Country of Origin Information (COI) report titled "Syria: Military service".

This report is part of a series of Syria COI reports produced in 2021. The reports provide information relevant for international protection status determination for Syrian applicants, and in particular for use in updating EASO's country guidance development on Syria.

In both January and February 2021, Syrians lodged more than 10 000 applications for international protection in the EU+.[1] While these were the highest numbers since 2016, they included close to 5 000 repeated applications (in the same reporting country) in both months, which was considerably higher than earlier. Over the last six months (September 2020 – February 2021), total applications by Syrians almost doubled compared to the previous six-month period. Syrian applications pending at first instance have increased by 38 % over the last six months, to over 50 400 at the end of February 2021. Over this period, the EU+ recognition rate for Syrians was 86 % (relatively stable compared to the preceding six months).

The report, EASO COI Report: Syria – Military Service, provides relevant information regarding the service in the Syrian Arab Army, the formal land forces of the national Syrian Armed forces, focusing primarily on recent trends, with updated information on 2020 and 2021 where available.

The report was drafted by the EASO COI Sector, in accordance with the EASO COI Report Methodology. The report was reviewed by Belgium, Office of the Commissioner General for Refugees and Stateless Persons (CGRS), Centre for Documentation and Research (Cedoca); Denmark, Danish Immigration Service (DIS), and the Netherlands, Office for Country Information and Language Analysis.



[1] This overview is based on EASO Early warning and Preparedness System (EPS) data. Data for February 2021 were missing for two EU+ countries and January data for one country.





  • Syrian Arab Republic
  • MILITARY SERVICE

24 February 2021

EASO COI Podcast on the security situation in Libya

COUNTRY OF ORIGIN: LIBYA; TOPIC: SECURITY SITUATION; DURATION: 56:31

 

The European asylum Support Office (EASO) has published a COI podcast on the security situation in Libya.

In this podcast, EASO interviews Mr. Emadeddin Badi[i] to address questions related to the security situation in Libya. The COI needs addressed in the interview were identified in consultation with COI experts in EU Member States who responded to a request of input sent by EASO. Moreover, the  information provided in the podcast must be read in conjunction with the EASO Query Response on the security situation in Libya[ii] published on 7 December 2020, which constitutes the research basis for the podcast and in which more detailed information can be found.

The podcast was recorded on 1 February 2021, and during the quality control phase, significant developments in Libya took place.  On 5 February 2021, the UN-led Libyan Political Dialogue Forum (LPDF) elected Mohamed al-Mnefi as head of the Presidential Council and Abdelhamid Dabeiba as Prime Minister.[iii] The Tobruk-based House of Representatives is yet to grant confidence to the new Government of National Unity.[iv]

We hope you will find the podcast useful and we would be happy to receive your feedback.

Disclaimer: This product is developed to enhance knowledge and understanding of the topic, for asylum practitioners. It is not intended for direct use as evidence in decisions on international protection or related cases. While as the underlying research on the general information on the topic as presented by the interviewer follows COI principles and standards, the interviewee has to be considered as a single expert source and it is strongly recommended to weigh his information against other information available on the topics addressed. Moreover, the views expressed in the podcast do not necessarily reflect those of the European Asylum Support Office (EASO).

The podcast on Libya's security situation can be streamed via following web browsers: Google Chrome, Microsoft Edge and Mozilla Firefox:

https://coi.easo.europa.eu/administration/easo/PLib/2020_02_EASO_COI_audio_Libya_security_situation.mp4

 

LIST OF ARABIC NAMES OF PERSONS, PLACES OR GROUPS USED IN THE PODCAST:

Geographical places: Al-Bayda – Sirte – Jufra – Tarhuna (also Terhuna) – Benghazi – Derna – Fezzan – Sebha – Sabratha (also Subratha) – Surman – Al-Zawiyya - Brak Al-Shati – Mizdah – Nesmah (also Nasmah) – Ash-Shwayrif (also Shwiref) - Al-Andalus Neighbourhood (in Tripoli) – Ghiryan (Also Gharyan) - Al-Skheirat (also Skhirat – a town in Morocco where the Libyan Political Agreement was signed)

Persons: Khalifa Haftar – Fayez Al-Sarraj - Emad Al-Traboulsi (Head of General Security Forces in Tripoli) - Abdul Raouf Kara (Head of Special Deterrence Forces in Tripoli) - Fathi Bashagha (Interior Minister in GNA) - Abdel Ghani (Ghnewa) Al-Kikli (Head of Abu Salim Central Security Forces) - Terhuni (Also Tarhuni: a person from Terhuna)

Groups/operations: Quwwat Al-Radaa Al-Khassa (Special Deterrence Forces) - Al-Bunyan Al-Marsus (Operation Impenetrable Wall) - Al-Muquatila (Libyan Islamic Fighting Group) - Madkhali Salafi group - Saiqa Special Forces (LNA-aligned group) - Tarik Ben Ziyad Brigade (Madkhali-dominated unit affiliated with the LNA) - Wahadat Mukafahat Al-Jarima (Counter Crime Units) - Subul Al-Salam (Madkhali security unit in Kufra) - Aadiyat (Madkhali security unit in Zintan) - Quwat Musanida (Support forces) - Kaniyat (LNA-aligned militia that used to control Tarhuna) -

Airports: Benina Airport (Benghazi) – Al-Abraq (also Labraq) Airport (situated to the east of Al-Bayda) - Mitiga Airport (Tripoli) - Misrata International Airport (Misrata)



[i] Emadeddin Badi is currently an advisor for the Geneva Centre for Security Sector Governance (DCAF) on Libya and a Senior Analyst for the Global Initiative against Transnational Organized Crime.

[ii] The exact title of the query is: Security Situation between 1 January 2019 and 30 September 2020 in Al-Butnan, Al-Jabal Al-Akhdar, Al-Jabal Al-Gharbi, Al-Wahat, Al-Jifara, Al-Margeb, Al-Marj, Al-Nuqat Al-Khams, Azzawiya, Benghazi, Derna, Misrata, Nalut, Sirt, and Tripoli

[iii] Carnegie Endowment for International Peace, Agree to Disagree: Libya's New Unity Government, 8 February 2021, url; Brookings, Around the halls: Experts analyze the Libya conflict, 10 years on, 17 February 2021, url

[iv] Chatham House, Can Libya's New Interim Government Break the Impasse?, 16 February 2021, url


  • Libya

10 February 2021

Ukraine: EASO publishes report on national healthcare system as it applies to asylum applicants

The European Asylum Support Office (EASO) has published a new Medical Country of Origin Information (MedCOI) report on Ukraine. The report, written by EASO, is the result of a Fact-Finding Mission (FFM) to Ukraine in early 2020. MedCOI reports help national asylum officials in verifying the healthcare situation in specific countries of origin, in order to aid in the assessment of applications made on medical grounds. 

Different interlocutors were interviewed to get multiple viewpoints on the topics included in the report. These included representatives from governmental ministries, NGOs, public and private healthcare facilities, as well as international organisations.  

The report is divided into five main chapters, covering:  

  • The reform of, and general information on, the healthcare system;  
  • The National Health Insurance Services (NHSU) of Ukraine and health insurance aspects;  
  • Out of pocket payments; 
  • The pharmaceutical sector; and  
  • The accessibility for specific groups, such as discriminated groups; IDPs and the population in the non-government-controlled areas of Ukraine; patients with mental health disorders, patients with HIV/AIDS, patients with Tuberculosis (TB), patients with oncologic diseases, and paediatric patients. 

This report was drafted by EASO and reviewed by experts of the following organisations: Belgian Desk on Accessibility (BDA), Country of Origin Information Division, Office for Foreigners, Poland, and COI Information Desk, Federal Office for Migration and Refugees, Germany. 
 

The report can be downloaded from the following link.  

 

Background: 
MedCOI was a project initiated to improve access to Medical Country of Origin Information for national migration and asylum authorities in Europe. This ERF/AMIF funded project was run by project teams in the Netherlands and Belgium, and was gradually transferred to EASO between 2017 and 2020. This is the second such MEDCOI report published by EASO, following one on the Democratic Republic of Congo (December 2020). 

 

 

  • Ukraine