EASO: new report on the situation of returnees and the return of Syrian refugees
June 15, 2021, 11:12 am

EASO: new report on the situation of returnees and the return of Syrian refugees

Syria road

Earlier this month, The European Asylum Support Office, in partnership with the Country of Origin Information Report at the Dutch Ministry of Foreign Affairs, has released a new report on the situation of returnees and the return of Syrian refugees.

The report includes five chapters. The first chapter presents an overview of the patterns of return and wherever possible, and the numbers of returnees from EU and other countries. The second chapter discusses the consequences of having exited Syria illegally and having applied for asylum abroad. The third chapter analyses the procedure for Syrian returnees to obtain a security clearance in order to enter government-held Syria legally and how this procedure works in practice. The fourth chapter looks at potential obstacles towards return, divided into three categories: limited or no access to particular areas of return, a lack of civil documentation,and issues related to housing, land and property (HLP) rights.The fifth and final chapter looks into the treatment of returnees upon return by the Government of Syria (GoS). Syrian refugees

The report concludes that there are many obstacles preventing the safe return of Syrians to Syria.

One of them being the challenge to regularise one’s residency status to legally exit Lebanon. As the report stated, most Syrians in Lebanon have not regularised their residency status and in order to leave the country legally,they need to pay a fee for each year amounting to 300000 Lebanese Pound.

The mandatory security check constitutes another obstacle to overcome. The General Security Office (GSO) will conduct a security check in conjunction with the Syrian authorities, forwarding the returnee’s personal details to the Syrian authorities.

Another obstacle is the compulsory fee to be paid to the Syrian authorities when entering Syria.

The COVID-19 pandemic also obstructed the process of return from Lebanon to Syria. Syrian refugees

The report notes that Danish Immigration Service and Hungary, National Directorate-General for Aliens Policing Documentation Centre have reviewed the report together with EASO, but does not necessarily imply their formal endorsement of the final report, which is the full responsibility of EASO.

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To read the report click below

EASO: https://coi.easo.europa.eu/administration/easo/PLib/2021_06_EASO_Syria_Situation_returnees_from_abroad.pdf

Image source: EASO

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BENEFIT, the Kingdom’s innovator and leading company in Fintech and electronic financial transactions service, has sponsored the BuildHer CityHack 2025 Hackathon, a two-day event spearheaded by the College of Engineering and Technology at the Royal University for Women (RUW).
Aimed at secondary school students, the event brought together a distinguished group of academic professionals and technology experts to mentor and inspire young participants.
More than 100 high school students from across the Kingdom of Bahrain took part in the hackathon, which featured an intensive programme of training workshops and hands-on sessions. These activities were tailored to enhance participants’ critical thinking, collaborative problem-solving, and team-building capabilities, while also encouraging the development of practical and sustainable solutions to contemporary challenges using modern technological tools.
BENEFIT’s Chief Executive Mr. Abdulwahed AlJanahi, commented: “Our support for this educational hackathon reflects our long-term strategic vision to nurture the talents of emerging national youth and empower the next generation of accomplished female leaders in technology. By fostering creativity and innovation, we aim to contribute meaningfully to Bahrain’s comprehensive development goals and align with the aspirations outlined in the Kingdom’s Vision 2030—an ambition in which BENEFIT plays a central role.”
Professor Riyadh Yousif Hamzah, President of the Royal University for Women, commented: “This initiative reflects our commitment to advancing women in STEM fields. We're cultivating a generation of creative, solution-driven female leaders who will drive national development. Our partnership with BENEFIT exemplifies the powerful synergy between academia and private sector in supporting educational innovation.”
Hanan Abdulla Hasan, Senior Manager, PR & Communication at BENEFIT, said: “We are honoured to collaborate with RUW in supporting this remarkable technology-focused event. It highlights our commitment to social responsibility, and our ongoing efforts to enhance the digital and innovation capabilities of young Bahraini women and foster their ability to harness technological tools in the service of a smarter, more sustainable future.”
For his part, Dr. Humam ElAgha, Acting Dean of the College of Engineering and Technology at the University, said: “BuildHer CityHack 2025 embodies our hands-on approach to education. By tackling real-world problems through creative thinking and sustainable solutions, we're preparing women to thrive in the knowledge economy – a cornerstone of the University's vision.”