Asylum applications by Iraqis dropped by 85 percent

In 2015, the number of Iraqis voluntarily returning to their country of origin increased by nearly twenty-fold. At the same time, the number of Iraqis applying for asylum dropped by 85 percent in three months time. This is thanks to the information campaigns which State Secretary for Asylum and Migration Theo Francken undertook and to the decision to no longer handle asylum applications from young men from the capital Baghdad. "We have dispelled the myths about Belgium in word and in deed," Francken states.

In 2015, 1,014 Iraqis returned to their country of origin voluntarily with the help of the Belgian government. That is almost twenty times as much as in 2014, when there were 58 people who returned voluntarily. This spectacular increase is mainly thanks to the information campaigns which Francken held. Letters were distributed to Iraqis in reception shelters at the same time a Facebook advertisement campaign was underway, in which young Iraqis were advised not to travel to Belgium. "Those campaigns explain transparently and correctly how the procedures work in Belgium and what kind of shelter they can expect: frugal, bed-bath-bread. After all, traffickers often mislead asylum-seekers."

Halt in decision-making
In addition, there was also the decision of the Office of the Commissioner General for Refugees and Stateless Persons to instate a halt in decision-making starting from 3 September. The summer saw a sudden large influx of Iraqi asylum seekers (from 376 in June to 2,198 in September). Starting from 14 October, asylum seekers no longer received subsidiary protection just because they came from Baghdad. In December the number of applications decreased to 335, a decrease of 85 percent.

Myths about Belgium dispelled
"Our information campaigns have played an important role, but mere rhetoric does not suffice in shattering the perception of our country as an Eldorado," says the State Secretary. "Words must be followed by actions, and that is what we have done. Instead of their own social housing and a financial allowance, which was promised to them by traffickers, the Iraqi asylum seekers only received bed, bath and bread in communal facilities," Francken concludes.