Shafaq News/ On Tuesday, The Summit Foundation For Refugee And Displaced Affairs announced that Iraq is ranked 12th globally regarding the number of immigrants and refugees. According to the Foundation, more than 750,000 Iraqi citizens have emigrated to other countries since 2015.

During a press conference held on World Refugee Day, Bahoz Barzan, the project manager of the Summit, highlighted the increasing challenges faced by refugees due to political, security, and economic reasons.

Barzan called upon the Kurdistan Regional Government and the federal government to create job opportunities for young people, improve overall living conditions for citizens, and exert pressure on countries to refrain from forcing Iraqi immigrants to return home. He also emphasized the need to facilitate the return of those who wish to return to Kurdistan, streamline immigration procedures and files, provide legal legitimacy, grant marriage loans, and implement projects for young people.

Barzan provided statistics on Iraqi refugees and their experiences, stating that from 2015 to the present, 752,323 refugees have emigrated from Iraq. Among them, 555 individuals died during the migration journey, 236 are still missing, and 319 have passed away.

Regarding the statistics for the first half of 2023, Barzan reported that 11,500 citizens from various Iraqi cities have immigrated, with seven deaths, five casualties, and two individuals missing.

World Refugee Day, observed on June 20th each year, is a United Nations-designated day dedicated to honoring refugees worldwide. It aims to raise awareness of the strength and resilience of individuals forced to flee their homes due to conflict or persecution. The day also seeks to foster empathy and understanding for their plight and recognize their determination to rebuild their lives.