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France and Britain joined hands to tackle irregular immigration: They signed a bilateral agreement

New cooperation agreement to deal with irregularity immigration signed by France and Britain with the aim of limiting the attempts of migrants to cross the English Channel.

The specific agreement provides that the Britain will pay $72.2 million in 2022-2023 to Francewhich will increase by 40% the security forces it deploys on its shores from where irregular migrants bound for British territory depart.

The agreement signed by the French Interior Minister Gérald Darmanen and his British counterpart Suella Braverman, as reported by the Athens News Agency, states the goal of the two countries developing “technological and human reimgs”, including drones, on the French coast in order to to better detect, control and intercept migrant boats.

At the same time, London and Paris want to collect and use information that comes mainly “from the migrants who are located”in order to disrupt traffickers’ networks and prevent ship departures.

Information exchange begins

For the first time, observer teams will be deployed on both sides of the Channel in order to “enhance the gathering of information from migrants”.

The agreement also provides for the presence of “sniffing dogs” in ports and the installation of surveillance cameras at key crossing points along the coasts.

In addition, migrant reception centers will be set up in the south of France to prevent migrants who have crossed the Mediterranean from reaching Calais and to “offer them safe alternatives”.

This agreement was signed at a time when the governments of France and Britain are under pressure on immigration.

In France Darmanen, whom the right and far-right accuse of not deporting enough foreigners who did not receive a residence permit, will present in early 2023 a bill to tighten the asylum process.

In Britain, the Conservative Party has made controlling immigration a priority after Brexit, but is faced with a sharp rise in irregular crossings.

On Sunday (13/11) the British Ministry of Defense announced that more than 40,000 Immigrants have crossed the Channel since the start of the year, compared to 28,526 in 2021 – a figure which was already a record.

“Just over 1,200 people tried to make the crossing” this weekend, a spokesman for France’s port authorities said.

The 50,000 crossing limit could be exceeded by the end of December, Britain estimated, with migrant reception centers overcrowded and waiting times for asylum applications averaging 480 days.

The agreement was signed almost a year after 27 migrants died on November 24, 2021, when the boat carrying them sank off the coast of Calais. This is the worst tragedy to have occurred in the English Channel.

More than 200 people have died or gone missing trying to reach British shores, according to the International Organization for Migration.

Source: News Beast

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