Number of asylum seekers in rich states falls to 16-year low: UN
AFP, Geneva
The number of asylum seekers arriving in industrialised countries has fallen to its lowest level in 16 years, after a third successive year of decline in 2004, the UN refugee agency said yesterday. About 368,000 people sought asylum in 38 countries in Europe, North America and parts of Asia, the office of the UN High Commissioner for Refugees said in its round-up of asylum data for 2004. The overall number of asylum requests fell by 22 percent last year, adding to a similar decline observed in 2003, the UNHCR added. In Australia and New Zealand, the number fell by 28 percent last year (3,680) and has dropped by three quarters since 2001.
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