Bodies of migrants are regularly recovered on the Italian coast following shipwrecks.
Germany, for its part, is agitated by a debate on the expulsions of migrants. While the American president wants to regularize hundreds of thousands of immigrants. The theme of migration is of great concern to Western countries, against a backdrop of a rise in far-right opinions.
Within the European Union, the 27 member countries are preparing to present, by December, their plan for implementing the Pact on Migration and Asylum, a vast reform that toughens immigration control in the block. Among the flagship strategies are agreements with host countries such as Tunisia.
A strategy denounced
The Vice-President of the European Commission, Margaritis Schinas, has repeatedly reassured human rights defenders that a system modeled on the agreement between the United Kingdom and Rwanda was “not possible in the European Union.
On the other hand, he defends the agreements signed by Brussels with third countries such as Tunisia and Egypt. These agreements aim to prevent departures to Europe.
The problem posed by human rights defenders is that a country like Tunisia is led by a president, Kais Saïed, criticized for his authoritarian excesses and a certain police brutality towards sub-Saharan migrants.
The European Union faces a dilemma
The EU and Tunisia are linked by a cooperation agreement valued at one billion euros. Part of this envelope, 105 million euros, is intended to curb irregular immigration to Europe from the coastal country.
However, Tunisian President Kais Saïed is a difficult partner who also shows the European Union that Tunisia is capable of finding other alternatives, for example in Iran.
Finding a solution to irregular migration is therefore equally difficult. “When they arrive in Europe, their only chance to stay legally is to request asylum. But more than half of them do not meet the conditions required to obtain refugee status in Europe,” explains Vincent Kochel, United Nations Special Envoy for the Western and Central Mediterranean.
How do the European elections concern Africa?
He explains why Europe chooses to sign agreements with third countries to receive expelled migrants: “They ( migrants, editor’s note) therefore end up finding themselves in an irregular situation in Europe and should be able to return to their country of origin. But cooperation with the countries of origin is very difficult. They don’t want to take back their citizens. That’s why we have so many problems. Problems that are not specific to the asylum system, but rather to those. who do not need asylum do not return to their country of origin.”
In addition to Tunisia and Egypt, the European Union cooperates with Mauritania. Nouakchott benefits from support worth 210 million euros to prevent the departure of migrants to Europe from its territory.
