Eritrea tops 2017 list of asylum seekers in Switzerland

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Eritrea tops 2017 list of asylum seekers in Switzerland

Migration authorities in Switzerland say Eritreans topped the list of asylum seekers into the country over the course of 2017.

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Migration authorities in Switzerland say Eritreans topped the list of asylum seekers into the country over the course of 2017. Eritreans made up almost a fifth of requests followed by Syrians, Afghans and people from Turkey – the Turks largely in the category of people fleeing a crackdown arising from a failed coup in 2016.

Eritreans topped September 2017 Swiss asylum requests. Most migration reports on Africa has identified Eritrea as a major contributor to migrant flows. They are joined by Ethiopia, Nigerians, Somalis and to some extent Sudanese.

In general, however, the Swiss authorities said asylum requests fell to the lowest level since 2010. Down by a third from 2016, they alluded to the drop in asylum seekers from Afghanistan, Syria and Iraq for the drop.

In total, 18,088 asylum requests were registered last year, down 9,119 from 2016 and less than half the 39,523 requests of 2015, Switzerland said. The last time Switzerland recorded numbers below the 20,000 mark was in 2010, when 15,567 applications came in.

It is largely said that the illegal migration and human trafficking problem of Eritrea is hinged on harsh economic conditions and the lack of democratic space back home. The government rejects the claims blaming migration on external forces.