As discussions intensify in the framework of the EU Belgian Presidency on the implementation and operationalisation of the adopted Pact on Migration and Asylum, Cyprus’ Interior Minister Konstantinos Ioannou will present to EU ministers on Monday the country’s ’ return policy at a Ministerial Conference on Asylum and Migration in Ghent, Belgium.

The ministerial conference will bring together the European Commission, Ministers competent for migration issues of EU member states and Schengen associated countries and representatives of the relevant agencies. Together, they will examine how and when the Pact can and should become operational.

The goal of the conference is to define the building blocks of what should be commonly put into operation, the resources that will be needed, the roles and responsibilities of all actors.

Upon invitation from the organizers, Ioannou will outline Cyprus’ policy to bolster returns. He will elaborate on measures adopted, resulting in an increase in total returns, positioning Cyprus first among EU member states in returns per capita.

In 2023, total migrant returns from Cyprus surged by 66% compared to 2022. Furthermore, the first quarter of 2024 maintains a positive trend, with 1,000 more departures compared to the same period in 2023.