Cyprus has seen a gradual rise in arrivals of migrants and refugees since 2013, mostly due to geopolitical tensions and conflicts in the Middle East. The island’s migration crisis is also a consequence of its fraught history since the 1974 war, which has defeated attempts at mediation for decades. In the context of what is called the “Cyprus problem”, refugees fleeing conflicts are additional collateral damage.
In the north of the island, the Turkish Republic of Northern Cyprus (TRNC) declared its independence in November 1983. That same month, United Nations Security Council said the move was “legally invalid”; the following May, the council said it was “gravely concerned about the further secessionist acts in the occupied part of the Republic of Cyprus” and reiterated its call on “all States not to recognise” it.
Turkey is the only country that has recognised the TRNC, but it does not acknowledge the internationally recognised government of the Republic of Cyprus (RoC) in the island’s south, which joined the European Union in 2004. Hence, the agreement on migrants between Turkey and the EU de facto cuts out Cyprus.
