MIGRATION IN THE EASTERN MEDITERRANEAN: Commonalities and differences among Egypt, Lebanon, Greece and Cyprus

The document examines the Eastern Mediterranean migration route, highlighting a shift toward deterrence policies across both EU member states (Greece, Cyprus) and neighboring countries (Egypt, Lebanon). It analyzes how EU external migration policy encourages these nations to act as 'gatekeepers' through financial and technical support in exchange for border management and the reduction of irregular departures. The report details specific mobility patterns, such as the surge in Egyptian migration via Libya and the displacement of Syrians and Lebanese due to regional conflict, while noting a systemic lack of legal migration pathways and significant barriers to healthcare, education, and employment for refugees and migrants across all four countries.

• The European Union utilizes its external migration dimension to encourage frontline member states and neighboring countries to act as 'gatekeepers' for the EU, providing financial assistance in exchange for border management and the acceptance of returnees.
• There is a widespread trend toward deterrence and return policies across the Eastern Mediterranean, with limited investment in the reception and integration of forced migrants.
• Egypt has transitioned from primarily being a destination country to also serving as a country of origin and transit; Egyptian migration to Europe has surged, with many now routing through Libya to reach Greece and Italy.
• Lebanon hosts one of the highest numbers of refugees per capita globally but lacks a legal definition for refugees or specific legislation for refugee status, as it is not a signatory to the 1951 Refugee Convention.
• Greece and Cyprus have implemented restrictive asylum measures, including the use of 'safe country' lists, accelerated procedures, and the suspension of asylum processing for certain nationalities, such as Syrians in Cyprus since April 2024.
• Legal migration pathways remain underdeveloped in the region. While 'Golden Visa' investment programs exist in Greece and Cyprus, bilateral labor agreements, such as the 2022 agreement for 5,000 Egyptian agricultural workers in Greece, often remain unimplemented.
• Refugees and migrants face systemic barriers to basic services across all four countries, including restrictive work permit quotas in Egypt, the 'Kafala' sponsorship system in Lebanon, and resource shortages in the Greek healthcare system.
• Climate change, specifically water scarcity and extreme weather, is identified as a contributing factor to displacement and migration within the region.
• The EU has provided substantial financial support for migration management to frontline states, with Greece receiving 2.27 billion euros from the Asylum, Migration and Integration Fund since 2016.

APA

Baroud, M., Dimitriadi, A., Fahmy, A., & Messa, A. (2024). MIGRATION IN THE EASTERN MEDITERRANEAN: Commonalities and differences among Egypt, Lebanon, Greece and Cyprus. Peace Research Institute Oslo. https://cdn.cloud.prio.org/files/9ae59ba8-a24c-44f2-8bf2-74eed698af85/Migration in the Eastern Mediterranean.pdf?inline=true

Chicago

Baroud, Maysa, Angeliki Dimitriadi, Amina Fahmy, and Annagrace Messa. MIGRATION IN THE EASTERN MEDITERRANEAN: Commonalities and differences among Egypt, Lebanon, Greece and Cyprus. Peace Research Institute Oslo, 2024. https://cdn.cloud.prio.org/files/9ae59ba8-a24c-44f2-8bf2-74eed698af85/Migration in the Eastern Mediterranean.pdf?inline=true.

Wikipedia

{{cite report |last1=Baroud |first1=Maysa |last2=Dimitriadi |first2=Angeliki |last3=Fahmy |first3=Amina |last4=Messa |first4=Annagrace |title=MIGRATION IN THE EASTERN MEDITERRANEAN: Commonalities and differences among Egypt, Lebanon, Greece and Cyprus |publisher=Peace Research Institute Oslo |date=December 2024 |url=https://cdn.cloud.prio.org/files/9ae59ba8-a24c-44f2-8bf2-74eed698af85/Migration in the Eastern Mediterranean.pdf?inline=true |access-date=23 October 2026 |via=Climate Insights Directory}}

BibTeX

@techreport{baroud2024migration, author = {Baroud, Maysa and Dimitriadi, Angeliki and Fahmy, Amina and Messa, Annagrace}, title = {{MIGRATION IN THE EASTERN MEDITERRANEAN: Commonalities and differences among Egypt, Lebanon, Greece and Cyprus}}, institution = {Peace Research Institute Oslo}, year = {2024}, month = dec, url = {https://cdn.cloud.prio.org/files/9ae59ba8-a24c-44f2-8bf2-74eed698af85/Migration in the Eastern Mediterranean.pdf?inline=true}, urldate = {2026-10-23}, note = {Indexed by Climate Insights Directory} }