An Evaluation of the EU-Turkey Refugee Deal

Since 2011, the civil war in Syria has displaced, both internally and externally, nearly 13 million people, more than half of the Syrian population (Pew Research Center, 2018). Syrians constitute the largest group within the 65.3 million forcibly displaced people worldwide. Other large displaced populations include Afghans, Colombians, Congolese, Iraqis, Nigerians, Somalis, Sudanese, South Sudanese, and Yemenis (UNHCR, 2016). As of May 2018, there are 3.589.384 Syrians living under temporary protection in Turkey, a number larger than the population of some European states like Lithuania or Slovenia. As a result of this, Turkey has become a key global and regional actor with regards to international migration.