Britain announced signing an MoU with Turkey to curb the flow of illegal immigrants from the Mediterranean country into Europe.
Under the deal, the UK government will set up a new centre backed by 3 million pounds ($3.8 million) to coordinate joint operations between the two countries to cut off the boat supply and increase intelligence sharing on migrant-trafficking gangs.
The Deal
As a part of the MoU, a “centre of excellence” will be established in Turkey to strengthen collaboration and facilitate information sharing between enforcement agencies of the two countries.
The government hopes to disrupt the supply chain of small boat parts throughout Europe with this deal.
The Turkish National Police will establish the centre, which would help in faster customs data exchange so that the staff could act more quickly on the information.
UK announces deal with Turkey to tackle flow of illegal migrants https://t.co/b9VTy8Qoa6 pic.twitter.com/dXlKeJVcrG
— Reuters (@Reuters) August 8, 2023
British Interior Minister Suella Braverman said, “Our partnership with Turkey, a close friend and ally, will enable our law enforcement agencies to work together on this international problem and tackle the small boat supply chain.”
As a part of the deal, more officers will be deployed to Turkey to enable collaboration between the National Crime Agency and Home Office staff based in Britain with their Turkish counterparts.
The government claimed that exporting small boats and parts across Europe is a significant part of smugglers’ tactics in facilitating illegal crossings.
While Britain returned 191 Turkish nationals in 2022, the latest deal still does include a formal returns agreement with Ankara. Such an agreement was in place earlier when the UK was a part of the EU.
Braverman said, “As I’ve made clear, we must do everything we can to smash the people smuggling gangs and stop the boats.”
Migrants Shifted to Accomodation Barge
Meanwhile, the government transferred the first group of asylum seekers to the controversial 222 room, three-storey Bibby Stockholm accommodation barge at the Portland Port on the southern coast on Monday.
As per the government, the move was part of plans to save more than 6 million pounds ($7.6 million) a day, which was spent on hotels for the asylum seekers after entering the country.
“We are stopping the use of hotels to house illegal migrants at the taxpayers’ expense,” British PM Rishi Sunak’s office said on messaging platform X.
The “Bibby Stockholm” floating barge is a shameful way to receive people who’ve fled conflict and persecution.
— Amnesty International (@amnesty) August 8, 2023
The UK Government must stop its terrible treatment of people seeking asylum. pic.twitter.com/E2pWoGeEG2
As the decision invites criticism from various factions, Steve Smith, the CEO of refugee charity Care4Calais said, “To house any human being in a ‘quasi floating prison’ like the Bibby Stockholm is inhumane. To try and do so with this group of people is unbelievably cruel. Even just receiving the notices is causing them a great deal of anxiety.”
Illegal Migration Bill, Criticism
Britain passed the ‘Stop the Boats Bill’ or the Illegal Migration Bill in July making it a duty of the Home Secretary to remove illegal migrants from the UK.
The bill allowed the government to send the migrants either to Rwanda or another “safe” third country.
In 2022, Britain paid Rwanda 120 million pounds ($158 million) to host migrants.
While the UK receives far fewer asylum-seekers than other European nations, such as Italy, Germany, and France, the incumbent Tories under PM Rishi Sunak have hardened their anti-immigration stance making it the primary political issue.
The government’s measures have been criticised by human rights groups, as well as the UN, which says it is a breach of the 1951 UN Refugee Convention.
A three-judge court of appeal ruled the policy to send migrants to Rwanda as unlawful, but the government is now set to appeal against the judgment in the Supreme Court.