The United Nations’ World Refugee Day is observed on June 20th each year. This occasion honours persons who have left or fled their countries due to fear, conflict, war or enmity. Last year two boats reached Malta’s shores carrying 47 persons on board, a significant drop of 15 boats when compared to 2009, and the lowest number in a decade. This decrease in irregular immigrants was the primary cause of a drop of 92.6 per cent in the number of applications for asylum at the Office of the Refugee Commissioner. Of the 176 applications filed by the end of last year, 65.3 per cent involved Africans and another 33.0 per cent concerned Asians. Nearly 20 per cent of these applicants were Somali nationals. The majority, or 63.6 per cent, were between 18 and 34 years of age while an additional 17.6 per cent and 15.3 per cent fell into the 0-17 and 35+ age groups respectively. Just over 80 per cent were males.
During the year under review, the Refugee Commissoner took 348 decisions concerning asylum applicants. Positive decisions were granted to 222 individuals, of whom almost 90 per cent concerned African nationals while the remaining 12.2 per cent involved Asian applicants. 73.0 per cent of the applicants who were granted asylum during 2010 were males and 67.1 per cent were between 18 and 34 years of age.
By the end of 2010, 1,676 and 316 persons were residing in open centres and other institutional households respectively. More than half were living in Hal Far. The majority of the residents (89.8 per cent) were adults, of whom 76.6 per cent were males. Around 10 per cent of these residents were minors. Of these residents, 98.2 per cent were originating from African countries, with 62.2 per cent and 11.5 per cent of the total being Somali and Eritrean nationals respectively.
Last year there were 243 persons who were found to be illegally present in Malta and 272 persons were returned to a third country. The majority of those individuals who were found to be staying illegally were between the ages of 18 and 34. Just over half were of African origin while a further 34.2 per cent were Asians. More than half the persons who were returned to a third country were Africans.