Global Refugee Arrivals Fall 37% in H1 2026, Eastern Mediterranean Surges

UNHCR’s latest data show that worldwide refugee arrivals in the first half of 2026 dropped 37 % from the same period in 2025, with 43,000 people crossing borders. Seasonal growth pushed arrivals from about 19,000 in Q1 to nearly 25,000 in Q2, yet Q2 totals were still 35 % below the 2025 figure of 38,000. The Western Mediterranean route saw a 25 % rise to 8,500 arrivals, driven by Algerian nationals who now make up more than half of Q2 arrivals. In contrast, the Central Mediterranean fell to less than half its 2025 level, while the Eastern Mediterranean became the highest‑volume route with 17,000 arrivals, dominated by Bangladeshis, Afghans and Sudanese each at roughly 22 %. Western Africa Atlantic arrivals rose 9 % in Q2 but remained 53 % below the 2025 average. Unaccompanied and separated children accounted for 12 % of Q2 arrivals, and deaths or disappearances on the Mediterranean and West Africa Atlantic routes fell by more than 50 % to 1,600 from 3,400 in H1 2025.