Netherlands should take in more asylum seekers, UN refugee boss says; Cabinet responds

State Secretary Eric van der Burg (Asylum) does not believe that the Netherlands can take in any more asylum seekers than it already does. He, therefore, “emphatically disagrees” with Gillian Triggs, the second-highest boss of the UN refugee organization UNHCR. She visited the Netherlands for a conference on Thursday and told ANP that the Netherlands is now taking in “tiny numbers” of asylum seekers. She believes the Netherlands, as a rich country, should pursue a generous asylum and migration policy and do more against racist ideas that undermine good support for reception.

According to Triggs, rich countries like the Netherlands play a smaller role in helping refugees than many poorer countries such as Egypt. And that while they are capable of actually housing more people, contributing more to living conditions in countries of origin, and making it easier to legally migrate for work, study, or family. She pointed out that this could also help reduce labor shortages.

A generous asylum and migration policy “is possible,” Triggs said. “Perhaps the war in Ukraine, tragic and terrible as it is, has shown that Europe is capable of this.” She pointed out that 8.2 million Ukrainians have been hosted in Europe since the Russian invasion.

As welcome as refugees from Ukraine were in Europe, refugees from countries like Sudan and Ethiopia are not, and they need help just as much. “I know it’s a human response to care for people from your own region, but Africa can’t handle the burden alone.” According to Triggs, the UNHCR is “concerned that there is a racial element here,” fueled by the erroneous claim that refugees are to blame for housing shortages.

That there are currently so many wars, humanitarian crises, and other unsafe situations in the world has Triggs “extremely concerned” about the future. “As the UN refugee agency, we have never seen anything like it in our 70 years” That is precisely what makes it extra crucial for countries like the Netherlands, which she believes should stand for human rights, to implement structurally different policies.

More border security, stricter immigration rules, and austere reception are not helping, Triggs said. The Netherlands’ asylum boats are “a really shocking sight,” she said. “You’re going to need this boat, then another boat, and then another. Because it’s never, ever going to push the numbers and solve the problems.”

Van der Burg said he had “a good conversation” with Triggs. He agrees that the Netherlands and other European countries should lead the way in asylum policy. But he doesn’t think that should lead to more asylum seekers in the Netherlands. “With the reception of 100,000 Ukrainians in combination with the reception of 70,000 asylum seekers, you see that things are squeaking and creaking in the Netherlands. Then we should not opt for the reception of even more people. We really have to ensure that we get migration under control and a better distribution across the European Union.

Van der Burg also disagrees with the UN chief’s comparison with a country like Turkey, which accommodates 4 million people. “Yes, they take in a lot. But Turkey is Syria’s neighbor, so it’s alright that they take in many Syrians. As Europe, we are Ukraine’s neighbors, so as the EU, we take in many Ukrainians. And that’s how it should be for me.”