Over 330 Sudanese people tried fleeing Malta irregularly over the past five years, police data shows, with the majority being caught escaping in 2020 and 2021.

While the reason behind these attempted departures is unknown, Times of Malta has been told that delays in being given an answer on their application for protection are harming Sudanese psychologically and driving some to try and flee the island.

According to UNHCR data, asylum seekers wait, on average, for over two years to get a reply on whether Malta will grant them protection. Sudanese people meanwhile wait an average of nearly three years to be told their application has been rejected. Just last year, Malta granted protection to only 0.3 per cent of Sudanese applicants when compared to the European average of 40 per cent.

Sudan has been dealing with conflict since 2003 but the escalation of fighting in April saw the government halt repatriations and its decisions on asylum sought by Sudanese nationals.

A spokesperson for the Home Affairs Ministry has now told Times of Malta the International Protection Agency has been closely monitoring the situation in Sudan, including the intensity of the conflict, possible spillovers to other areas of the country and its impact on the civilian population.

“In view of this, the agency has gradually resumed the examination of applications by Sudanese nationals in the last weeks,” he said, adding that, while applicants for international protection are pending a final decision on their application, they are entitled to all the rights and benefits provided by the law in accordance with their status as asylum seekers.

'Insecure about their future'

Times of Malta has, however, been informed that, as they wait for a decision on their application, Sudanese nationals can continue working or studying in Malta but cannot travel, not even for family emergencies.

And if they are granted protection, this is often subsidiary protection, which does not allow for the reunification of family members.

Human rights advocates and NGOs have called for the protection of Sudanese nationals, with Times of Malta being told they were feeling insecure about their future, faced as they were with the developing situation in their home country and the delay in decisions over granting them protection.

Consequently, several Sudanese asylum seekers attempted to flee Malta in search of safe places, making Malta a “market for smugglers”.

Police data provided to Times of Malta shows that, between 2019 and 2022, a total of 332 Sudanese nationals were caught trying to leave Malta irregularly.

Of these, 38 were caught in 2019, 175 were caught in 2020, 114 were caught in 2021 and five in 2022. No cases were reported in 2018 and this year.