The British and Belgian prime ministers met in London on Tuesday to discuss immigration policy and cooperation between the two countries.
British Prime Minister Rishi Sunak met with Belgian Prime Minister Alexander de Croo on Tuesday, January 23, in London. The discussion focused on cooperation between irregular migrants and law enforcement in the context of the Gaza conflict and the ongoing war in Ukraine.
Mr De Croo, who was in London hours after Britain and the US launched a joint attack on Houthi targets in Yemen, spoke of the current “world in turmoil”.
Mr Sunak pointed to the long-standing “close partnership and friendship” between the two countries.
“Today, I believe we will be talking about our efforts to strengthen cooperation to combat and defeat criminal organizations that facilitate illegal immigration.”
He said the situation in Ukraine and energy security were also common interests.
“We are good neighbors and allies, and in a world that is more turbulent than ever, I think countries like the UK and Belgium need to align and work together,” Decroo told Sunak. he said.
Far-right immigration policies are rapidly increasing in Europe
This week, Belgium’s Secretary of State for Migration Nicole de Moor called for a more unified approach to migration within Europe and within her own country, following the rise of far-right groups across the region. politiko report.
“I don’t think you can overcome extreme situations by staying silent about the problem. Solving the problem is the solution,” DeMore said.
De Moor, a member of the centre-right Christian Democratic Party of Flanders (CD&V) and part of a seven-party coalition with differing views on immigration policy, was elected on Thursday during Belgium’s six-month presidential term. He is scheduled to preside over the EU Migration Ministers’ Meeting. of the Council of the European Union.
Belgium has struggled to admit refugees in recent years, while also moving further to the right, with the far-right Vlaams-Beran party currently leading in opinion polls.
Mr DeMore called for a more restrictive approach to immigration. “Asylum is there to protect people fleeing war and persecution. But when people see it being used for other reasons, it loses support,” she told Politico.
Belgium is now planning to implement a migration deal brokered by the EU in December after years of political deadlock. NGOs have criticized the deal as a radical shift to the right after years of failed attempts to agree on regulations for the redistribution of migrants among member states. Today, EU migration ministers will consider the next steps in the deal.
De More said he supported the right to international protection and fair asylum procedures, but said economic migrants should face greater restrictions when entering the EU.
Despite the popularity of right-wing rhetoric across Europe and the UK, there is little evidence that deterrence approaches are effective in reducing the number of asylum seekers arriving in the region. In fact, research suggests that geopolitical developments, such as conflict and political instability, have a greater impact on the number of asylum seekers than policies.
Also read: EU treaty on migration and asylum must guarantee rights, IOM urges
With DPA