On 25 November foreign embassies and consulates were invited to the headquarters of Fedasil for a meeting on voluntary return.

The Office of the Commissioner General for Refugees and Stateless Persons (CGRS) has just completed its selection mission in Turkey.

1,769 persons have opted to return voluntarily to their country of origin during the first six months of 2014. That is 17% fewer than during the second half of 2013.

For three years now, Belgium has shared its expertise on asylum with European countries that appeal for assistance from EASO.

The 75 Syrians, who are to be resettled in Belgium in 2014, have currently taken refuge in Turkey. The protagonists of their resettlement have started the needed preparation works.

A record number of migrants are visiting the Fedasil return desk to request a voluntary return to their country of origin.

In 2013, 4,585 people voluntarily returned to their country of origin with the help of the Belgian voluntary return programme.

In the frame of the European resettlement programme, Belgium has committed to proceed with the resettlement of 100 refugees on its territory in 2014.

On 12 December, Fedasil and the IOM presented the Belgian voluntary return programme to foreign embassies and consulates.

52 Congolese refugees arrived in Belgium as part of the resettlement programme. This was the second large group of 2013, following the group of 31 Burundian refugees who arrived in Belgium in June.