For those of you leaving X to Bluesky you can also find MMC there: @mixedmigration.org (link ⬇️). For now, we will also continue here, though we’ve observed a noticeable decline in post reach compared to before, despite steady engagement levels.

📣 New key #MixedMigration trends, dynamics and policy developments around the world from the second quarter of 2025. 🔗 ➡️

"The EU externalization strategy is being tested on multiple fronts, not least by some of the countries with which deals have been made, who themselves appear increasingly willing to use migration as a political tool in negotiations with the EU.".

Uptick in arrivals in Crete & the Balearics seem to result from EU’s short-term migration strategy: securitising routes & targeting smugglers via deals with third countries—without addressing migration drivers or the links between regular & irregular migration.

🔗 📄 Discover more: 

91% of those who saw Spain as their destination applied for asylum after arrival, but only 10% had applied before arriving, often due to lack of awareness and barriers to access on the route.

43% said embarking on an irregular journey was their only option to reach Spain, despite the risk of death in the Atlantic, and exposure to death, violence, robbery, and detention while travelling on land in North Africa.

In contrast, respondents of other nationalities cited mixed drivers, with economic factors most commonly reported by Moroccans and Gambians.

Violence, insecurity, and conflict were the most frequently reported drivers of movement (69%), and were the sole reason for leaving among 63% of those who mentioned them. This was particularly prominent among Malians and Sudanese, reflecting displacement due to ongoing.

Women cited violence, insecurity, and gender-based violence (including forced marriage and domestic violence) as primary reasons for leaving.

People on the move continue to reach Spain through two main pathways: the Med and the Atlantic. In 2024, the Atlantic was one of the deadliest sea crossings in the world. To understand journeys and risks, in 2024 we interviewed 497 migrants recently arrived in Spain: ⬇️🧵.

Why are people with approved visas still stuck in Gaza? And why aren’t more people receiving documents to leave? .@BramFrouws tells @AJEnglish: Countries could loosen documentation rules — it’s not impossible. What’s missing is political will.

(2/2) Read our latest report:

Smuggling to and within Türkiye:  .75% of Syrians, 64% of Afghans, and 55% of Pakistanis we interviewed said they used smugglers because they had no alternatives. 📊 Based on 2,127 interviews with refugees & migrants in Türkiye who engaged a smuggler en route or within Türkiye.

“I developed a condition called photosensitivity… I couldn’t be exposed to sunlight.”.We surveyed 231 migrant workers in Saudi Arabia — 93% faced extreme heat with little protection or assistance. Read: Behind the scenes of Saudi Arabia’s labour engine.📄

Afghans and Pakistanis relied on personal networks and community-based support for assistance. Smugglers also provided some form of assistance, with 24% of Syrians, 19% of Afghans, and 7% of Pakistanis reporting receiving assistance from them. More here:

NGOs overlooking Afghans & Pakistanis? In surveys of 2,127 Afghans, Syrians, &  Pakistanis in Türkiye,  65% of all reported not receiving any aid. Of the 35% who did receive assistance: .📌 51% of Syrians had NGO aid .📌 1% of Afghans & 14% of Pakistanis received NGO aid

📖 Read all case studies and the synthesis report:

🛠️ There is a critical need for resilience-building and adaptation. Some communities are taking steps to adapt, but these efforts are often reactive, short-term, and constrained by limited resources and a lack of sustained support. (5/5).

💰 Economic factors continue to drive mobility, but climate pressures are increasingly influential. (4/5).