As the number of migrants and refugees crossing the Darién jungle between Panama and Colombia reaches record levels, the International Organization for Migration (IOM) and the UN Refugee Agency (UNHCR) are calling for a comprehensive, regional, and collaborative approach to address the serious protection risks and urgent humanitarian needs of people on the move in Latin America and the Caribbean.
According to official Panamanian government figures released this week, more than 250,000 people have crossed the Darién jungle on foot during the first seven months of 2023. So far this year, refugees and migrants making the dangerous journey have already equaled the total number of individuals crossing during all of 2022, the highest annual figure ever recorded.
Among the main nationalities making up these mixed movements of refugees and migrants are citizens of Venezuela (55 %), Haiti (14%) and Ecuador (14%), as well as individuals from China, Colombia and children of Haitian parents born in Chile and Brazil. Other nationalities represented include people from Afghanistan, Nepal and Peru, among others.
The Darién Gap is a geographic area of rainforest that connects Central America with South America. Despite its dangers, the land bridge has become an important corridor for migrants and refugees trying to cross from South America to the United States via Central America. The perilous journey is threatened by poisonous snakes, raging rivers and criminal gangs who demand money to guide migrants through the jungle. Migrants and rights groups have denounced robberies, murders, and sexual assaults in the remote jungle.
In a joint statement Wednesday, UNHCR and IOM said they are working together with national institutions, host communities and other organizations to provide humanitarian assistance, support the Panamanian State's response at the temporary migration reception stations, provide information on the risks associated with irregular migration, and assist persons in need of international protection with their application for refugee status.
"Multiple interconnected factors, ranging from limited access to fundamental rights and essential services to the impact of violence and insecurity, continue to push people into situations of displacement," said UNHCR Director for the Americas José Samaniego.
IOM and UNHCR are calling for a collaborative and regional approach to better respond to mixed movements of refugees and migrants in the Americas.
While engaging in joint actions that address the causes of displacement and irregular migration, the organizations and their partners also are working to strengthen communities that host migrants and refugees and support government initiatives that provide access to refugee status determination procedures, as well as mechanisms that facilitate access to safe and regular channels as alternatives to dangerous travel.
The UN agencies said the dramatic number of people crossing through the Darién highlights the urgent need to expand regular channels for refugees and migrants, protect the lives and rights of vulnerable migrants, strengthen refugee status determination systems and find other protection alternatives in the region, while promoting stability in countries of origin, destination and return in the Americas.
"The perilous crossing of the Darién jungle is not only a testament to the desperation and determination of those seeking a better life, but a grim reminder of the urgency of updating our migration systems. The unimaginable risks faced by people in this passage, plagued by hostile natural conditions and organized crime, demand a unified, human rights-based response," said Michele Klein Solomon, IOM Regional Director for Central America, North America and the Caribbean.
"The urgency of this situation does not allow for delay; it is our collective duty, not just Panama's, to provide humane and sustainable solutions that prevent future tragedies," she stressed.
Further information
Full text: UNHCR and IOM call for greater regional cooperation as record 250,000 people cross Darién jungle on foot, IOM Regional Office for Central America, North America and the Caribbean, press release, published August 2, 2023 (in Spanish)
https://rosanjose.iom.int/es/news/acnur-y-oim-piden-mayor-cooperacion-regional-ante-el-record-de-250000-personas-que-cruzan-pie-la-selva-del-Darién