Following the fall of Assad in Syria, there is a debate in Germany about the rapid repatriation of Syrian refugees and a freeze on admissions. Misereor strongly criticises this debate at this point in time and calls for solidarity with the refugees instead. Mariana Ghawaly Giacaman, Misereor expert on displacement and migration, comments:

"Following the end of the Assad regime's 54-year reign of violence over Syria, Misereor's partner organisations are reporting much hope and relief in the country. But they also report that people are worried about a completely uncertain future and the ongoing fighting in the country as well as bombings by various actors - most recently by Israel.

The situation in Syria remains chaotic and unpredictable. What the upcoming changes will mean for the population remains completely unclear. It is therefore premature and inappropriate to start talking about a "halt to admissions" and "repatriations" and does not do justice to the situation on the ground.

According to the United Nations Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs (UNOCHA), 16.7 million people (8.4 million women, 8.3 million men) will need humanitarian aid in 2024. Parts of the infrastructure and basic services also need to be rebuilt. Food prices are rising sharply and state structures need to be reorganised. Against this backdrop, it is worrying that parties are instrumentalising the fate of Syrian refugees in the election campaign without referring to the reality on the ground. At a time when Syria does not yet have a new government and a new order has not yet solidified. The people in Syria and in exile deserve our solidarity in this complicated situation and the prospect of a life in peace and security. Their right to self-determination should be at the centre of the debate, not rash domestic political debates."