European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen has proposed strengthening the European Union’s external borders and increasing support for Morocco following the arrival of around 50,000 migrants in the Spanish enclave of Ceuta last week.
The crossings began on Thursday at one of the EU’s two land borders with Africa. The other is Morocco’s border with the Spanish enclave of Melilla. The scale and speed of the influx prompted concern across the bloc.
Migration has been one of the EU’s most divisive political issues since the 2015–2016 migration crisis, when more than one million refugees and migrants, many fleeing the war in Syria, arrived in Europe.
The influx strengthened support for anti-immigration and far-right parties and intensified disputes over border controls, asylum rules and the sharing of responsibility among member states.
The EU increasingly relies on migration agreements with North African countries to reduce irregular arrivals.
“Morocco is an important strategic partner, particularly in our efforts to combat migrant smuggling and illegal migration,” von der Leyen wrote on Monday.
She said the EU could work with Spain to improve border management and early-warning systems concerning Ceuta and Melilla, while also increasing technical and financial support for Morocco.
Morocco said on Sunday that the mass crossings into Ceuta and Melilla had been driven by misinformation on social media, human trafficking networks and the misinterpretation of a Spanish court ruling.
Most of those who crossed the border reportedly found neither food nor assistance and later returned to Moroccan territory.
Italy nevertheless suspended passport-free Schengen travel arrangements with Spain for one month, although Schengen rules do not apply to Ceuta. Meanwhile, 22 of the EU’s 27 member states called for coordinated action to strengthen the bloc’s external borders.
The Ceuta incident is the first major test of the EU’s Migration Pact, which entered into force in June after years of negotiations. The agreement is intended to establish common migration rules and promote greater solidarity among member states.
“The idea of the pact is control and solidarity between EU member states. Yet we’ve seen the opposite,” said Bram Frouws, director of the Mixed Migration Centre.
Frouws warned that if the pact failed to produce a different response during its first major test, it could weaken confidence in European leaders and provide “fuel for the far right”.
With elections approaching in several EU countries, migration remains one of the bloc’s most politically sensitive issues.
Critics say relying on transit countries to control migration could leave Europe vulnerable to political pressure if those countries ease border restrictions, or threaten to do so, in exchange for political or economic concessions.
“Europe’s increasing reliance on neighbouring countries for migration control may reduce arrivals in the short term, but it can also provide those countries with significant political leverage,” said Alberto-Horst Neidhardt, senior policy analyst at the European Policy Centre.
Nauru, the world’s third smallest country, has changed its name to Naoero, the Pacific island nation’s President said. The new name corresponds to...
Tehran had made plans to strike sites in Ukraine after Kyiv attacked an Iranian cargo ship in the Caspian Sea, a senior Iranian military adviser has s...
Rising trade across the Caspian Sea is strengthening Georgia’s role as a logistics hub and could help the country develop higher-value industries, a...
U.S. President Donald Trump says Iran has a "last chance" to sign what he described as "a good document", claiming talks are continuing at Tehran's request with backing from Saudi Arabia, the UAE and Qatar.
U.S. President Donald Trump said late on Saturday he would hold off on a fresh attack on Iran as long as a deal could be reached quickly to halt Iran's nuclear ambitions and reopen the Strait of Hormuz.
Indonesian rescue teams are searching for 28 people still unaccounted for, three days after a passenger ferry caught fire off the coast of Madura island.
Two firefighting helicopters collided while battling a major wildfire in Greece on Sunday, killing two crew members as emergency services continued efforts to contain fires fuelled by extreme heat and dry conditions across Europe.
At least eight people were killed in overnight Ukrainian drone strikes across Russia, regional officials said, as Kyiv expanded attacks on infrastructure.
Wildfires near Spokane, Washington, have destroyed at least 700 buildings and forced tens of thousands of people to evacuate. The fires have been burning for a third day around the state’s second-largest city, officials said.
Drone attacks damaged a warehouse near Russia’s St. Petersburg and struck a cargo ship near Novorossiysk, injuring three crew members, according to Russian and Turkish authorities.
Start your day informed with AnewZ Morning Brief. Here are the top news stories for the 4th of August, covering the latest developments.
South Korean President Lee Jae Myung urged authorities to increase support for people affected by a record heatwave, as the death toll reached 16.
The United States State Department is planning to close five diplomatic missions overseas in an uncommon reduction of its global diplomatic network, according to people familiar with a notice sent to Congress.
You can download the AnewZ application from Play Store and the App Store.
What is your opinion on this topic?
Leave the first comment