BRUSSELS, 16th January, 2025 (WAM) -- The first voluntary returns of Syrian refugees in Belgium are scheduled for Thursday, 16th January.
Belgium’s asylum services have reported an increased interest among Syrians in returning to their home country.
Nicole de Moor, Belgium’s outgoing state secretary for asylum and migration, explained that her office instructed Fedasil, the agency responsible for asylum services, to explore ways to facilitate voluntary returns. “Since then, Fedasil’s voluntary return office has seen growing interest from Syrians wanting to go back”, she said.
“A total of 24 individuals have registered their interest in voluntary return to Syria. Most of them are single men, but the group also includes single women and a family with children,” de Moor stated.
This surge in interest is not mirrored across Europe. According to de Moor, a recent European survey found no similar cases of Syrians filing for voluntary return in France or other countries.