Last year, 3,135 people from DR Congo (1,238), Moldova (986) and Georgia (911) applied for international protection in Belgium. However, the examination of their applications rarely led to the granting of international protection. Not a single Moldovan was recognised as a refugee last year. For DR Congo and Georgia, the positive decisions amounted to 14% and 10% respectively.

In a press release published today, Nicole de Moor announced that their applications would be processed in the accelerated procedure from 1 February 2024. Applicants from countries appearing on the list of safe countries of origin are also subject to this procedure (979 applications last year). Altogether, these groups with a low to very low recognition rate account for the equivalent of 10% of all decisions taken by the Office of the Commissioner General for Refugees and Stateless Persons (CGRS) last year and 2,844 reception places from Fedasil.

From now on, these applications will be processed as a priority by the Immigration Office and the CGRS. The aim is to process applications from Georgia, DR Congo and Moldova within 50 working days.

For additional information, please read (in Dutch) the press release from the Secretary of State for Asylum and Migration.