Germany has temporarily halted the intake of highly vulnerable refugees under the UNHCR resettlement program, approving only applications that are already in advanced stages. Both the German Ministry of the Interior and the UN Refugee Agency (UNHCR) confirmed the suspension, according to a report by DPA.
The move signals a potential shift toward tighter migration policies by Germany’s emerging government coalition, formed in the wake of the February parliamentary elections. The Christian Democratic Union (CDU), Christian Social Union (CSU), and Social Democratic Party (SPD)—expected coalition partners—have already agreed in principle to terminate voluntary refugee admissions where feasible.
Despite the current freeze, Germany has previously pledged to accept 13,100 refugees through the UNHCR resettlement scheme for the years 2024 and 2025, a program supported by the European Commission. So far, 5,061 refugees have been admitted, including Syrians from Turkey under the 2016 EU-Turkey migration deal.
A letter from the Federal Office for Migration to the UNHCR, obtained by DPA, indicates that Germany will only process refugee applications already in advanced stages. The program primarily supports the resettlement of refugees from Egypt, Jordan, Kenya, and Rwanda, particularly those classified as especially vulnerable.
Germany joined the UNHCR resettlement program in 2012 and has since accepted around 5,000 refugees annually, ranking just behind Canada and the United States in total numbers. However, under former President Donald Trump, the U.S. announced it would cease participating in the program, further straining global resettlement efforts.
For more updates on migration policies and global humanitarian issues, visit LiveWorldUpdates.com.
Hashtags:
#GermanyRefugeePolicy #UNHCRResettlement #MigrationUpdate #LiveWorldUpdates