Webinar: "Migration in the Eastern Mediterranean" (14.5.2025 | 15:30 EEST, Athens Time)

Since 2001, the Eastern Mediterranean has served as a vital gateway for refugees, migrants, and asylum seekers entering Europe from the Middle East, Asia, and Africa—mainly via Türkiye, but increasingly also from Lebanon, Egypt, and Libya. Countries like Greece and Cyprus, due to their geographic position, have faced growing pressure from irregular migration, especially since the 2015 Syrian refugee crisis. In response, the European Commission launched an Action Plan in October 2023, aiming to strengthen border management and enhance asylum systems. Yet the political landscape in the EU’s immediate neighbourhood and in countries of origin of migratory movements is subject to constant and significant change. From ongoing conflicts in Syria and Afghanistan and the war in Gaza, to economic hardship in Egypt, military coups in Africa, and worsening climate impacts, the Eastern Mediterranean remains a focal point of Europe’s migration challenges and strategies. While refugee numbers are declining along some migration routes, an increasing number of people are risking the perilous journey through the Eastern Mediterranean.

How do countries in the Eastern Mediterranean respond to these challenges, and what are the consequences of EU policies for refugees? The Friedrich-Ebert-Stiftung, in collaboration with its partners—the PRIO Cyprus Centre, the Issam Fares Institute for Public Policy and International Affairs, and the Helenic Foundation for European & Foreign Policy ELIAMEP—has conducted a comprehensive comparative analysis of these questions, drawing on studies from Egypt, Lebanon, Greece and Cyprus. A summary of key findings from each country is already available here. On May 14, we will publish the full reports alongside our Webinar, “Migration in the Eastern Mediterranean.” The webinar will feature an introduction to the topic and in-depth presentation of the findings by the authors, as well as a Q&A.

Programme

Welcoming Remarks and Introduction

Hubert Faustmann (Director of the FES Cyprus Office)

Presentation and Launch of the Country Reports

Chair: Harry Tzimitras (Director of the PRIO Cyprus Centre)

Egypt

Amina Fahmy (Migration Policy Researcher)

Lebanon

Maysa Baroud, Joint Visiting Fellow, Middle East Council

on Global Affairs & Issam Fares Institute for Public Policy

and International Affairs                                                                                                 

Cyprus

Annagrace Messa (Asylum/ Migration Civil Society Consultant)

Greece and Synthesis Report

Angeliki Dimitriadi (Independent Researcher, Migration)

Q&A

Harry Tzimitras (Director of the PRIO Cyprus Centre)

Concluding Remarks

Joseph Bahout (Director of the Issam Fares Institute for Public Policy and International Affairs)

RSVP

To receive the zoom link, RSVP by May 13 via our email address: office.cyprus(at)fes.de