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November 16, 2023
The European Commission wants to conclude “new anti-smuggling operational partnerships” with Tunisia and Egypt before the end of the year, despite long-standing reports of abuses against migrants and refugees in Egypt and recent racist violence approved by the Tunisian state. Material and financial support for the two North African countries, as well as that for Libya, have already been strengthened.
Picture: Corneille Kibelka, CC BY-SA 2.0
The project of new “partnerships” is mentioned in a recently revealed appendix (pdf) of a letter from the President of the European Commission, Ursula von der Leyen, sent to the European Council before its October meeting and published by State surveillance.
In April, the Commission announced “the desire” of the EU and Tunisia “to establish a stronger operational partnership in the fight against smuggling”, which would cover stricter border controls, increased police and judicial cooperation, increased cooperation with EU agencies and anti-immigration advertising campaigns.
The annex contains few further details on the issue, but says agreements with Tunisia and Egypt should build on anti-smuggling partnerships “in place with Morocco, Niger and the Western Balkans, with the support from Europol and Eurojust”, and that they should include “joint operational teams with prosecutors and law enforcement authorities of Member States and partners”.
Abuse and impunity
Last year, Human Rights Watch investigations found this “Egyptian authorities have failed to protect vulnerable refugees and asylum seekers from widespread sexual violence, including by failing to investigate rapes and sexual assaults,” and that police had subjected to Sudanese refugee activists to “forced physical labor (sic) and beatings”. Eritrean asylum seekers were also detained and deported by Egyptian authorities.
That of the EU report on human rights in Egypt in 2022 (pdf) states that authorities continue to impose “constraints” on “freedom of expression, peaceful assembly and freedom of the media”, while “concerns remain over the widespread application of the law on terrorism against critics and peaceful individuals, and the massive and indiscriminate use of pre-trial detention. »
Amr Magdi, Human Rights Watchsenior researcher on the Middle East and North Africa, said more bluntly that “there can be no light at the end of the tunnel without addressing widespread security force abuses and lawlessness.” THE Cairo Institute for Human Rights said in August that “the country’s security apparatus continues to monitor and repress Egyptians with impunity. There is little or no access to participatory democracy.
The situation in Tunisia for migrants and refugees has deteriorated considerably since the beginning of the year, when President Kais Said declared the crackdown against sub-Saharan Africans in speeches that seemed strongly inspired by the far-right Great Replacement theory.
It is unclear whether the EU will attempt to combat this violence, abuse and discrimination as it seeks to strengthen the powers of countries’ security authorities. The annex to von der Leyen’s letter indicates that cooperation with Tunisia is already underway, even if an anti-smuggling agreement has not been finalized:
“Three mentoring pairs on migrant smuggling TU (Tunisia) with Member States (AT, ES, IT (Austria, Spain and Italy)) to start cooperation within the framework of Euromed Police, in the last quarter of 2023 (set implemented by CEPOL (the European Police College) with Europol) »
Anti-smuggling conference
The annex to von der Leyen’s letter states that Egyptian Foreign Minister Sameh Shoukry “confirmed his interest in a comprehensive partnership on migration, including the fight against smuggling and the promotion of legal channels”, during of a meeting with the European Commissioner for Migration and Home Affairs, Ylva. Johansson, at the United Nations General Assembly.
This month, the fourth EU-Egypt high-level dialogue on migration and the second meeting of senior officials on security and law enforcement would be used to discuss the partnership, the annex notes – “including on the involvement of CEPOL, Europol and Frontex” – but it is not clear when the Commission plans to sign the new agreements. An “International Conference on Strengthening International Cooperation in Combating Migrant Smuggling” to take place in Brussels on November 28 would be an opportune time to do so.
The conference will serve to announce a proposal “aimed at strengthening the EU legal framework on migrant smuggling, including elements related to sanctions, governance, information flows and the role of JHA agencies”, says a Council document. published by Condition monitoring in October.
Other sources indicate that the proposal will include amendments to the EU Facilitation Directive and the Europol Regulation, with measures to strengthen the role of the European Center for Combating Migrant Smuggling hosted at Europol; intensify the exchange of information between Member States, EU agencies and third countries; and step up Europol’s support for operations.
Additional support
The proposed “partnerships” with Egypt and Tunisia add to the ongoing support provided by the EU to control migration.
In July, the EU signed a memorandum of understanding with Tunisia covering “macroeconomic stability, economy and trade, green energy, people-to-people contacts, as well as migration and mobility”.
Although the Tunisian government has returned 67 million euros provided by the EU, the number of refugee boat departures from Tunisia has decreased significantly, following an increase in sea patrols and the increased destruction of intercepted vessels.
Violent coercion also plays a role, as Matthias Monroy notes:
“State repression, notably in the port city of Sfax, also contributed to the drop in numbers, where authorities expelled thousands of people from sub-Saharan countries from the center and bussed them to the Libyan and Algerian borders. There, the authorities force them to cross the border. These measures have also led more refugees in Tunisia to seek IOM’s EU-funded programs for “voluntary return” to their countries of origin.
The annex to von der Leyen’s letter notes that the EU provided “fuel to support anti-smuggling operations” and that Tunisian officials visited Frontex headquarters in mid-September for a “familiarization visit “.
Egypt, meanwhile, is set to receive the first of three new EU patrol vessels in December, with €87 million under the second phase of a border management project to be disbursed “in the coming months.” come”, and Frontex will continue its efforts. working agreement with Egyptian authorities, who visited the agency’s headquarters in Warsaw in October.
Continued support for Libya
At the same time, EU support for migration control by actors in Libya continues, despite a UN investigation earlier this year accusing this support for contributing to crimes against humanity in the country.
The annex to von der Leyen’s letter notes approvingly that five search and rescue vessels have been provided to the Libyan coast guard this year and that as of September 21, “more than 10,900 people are reported to have been rescued or intercepted by Libyan authorities in more than 100 operations… Among those disembarked, the largest groups came from Bangladesh, Egypt and Syria.”
The letter does not specify what distinguishes “rescue” and “interception” in this context. The organization Forensic oceanography has previously described see them as “conflicting imperatives” in an analysis of a disaster at sea in which some survivors were taken to Libya and others to EU territory.
In a letter (pdf) sent last week to the chairs of three committees in the European Parliament, three commissioners – Margaritas Schinas, Ylva Johansson and Oliver Várhelyi – said the Commission remained “convinced that stopping EU aid in the countries where disengagement would not improve the situation of the most vulnerable. in need.”
Although evidence that EU support for Libya facilitated crimes against humanity is not enough to put an end to this policy, it remains to be seen whether violent repression by Egyptian authorities or racism of State in Tunisia will be deemed worthy of interest. mention in public by Commission officials.
The annex to von der Leyen’s letter also details EU action in a host of other areas, including “pilot projects” launched in Bulgaria and Romania to strengthen border surveillance and speed up immigration procedures. asylum and returns, support for Moroccan authorities and cooperation. with the Western Balkan States, among others.
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