In a bid to address the escalating migrant crisis in the Mediterranean, several European Union nations are engaged in talks with non-EU countries to externalise asylum processing.
The move comes as the International Organisation for Migration (IOM) reported a grim toll, with at least 2,571 individuals losing their lives while attempting the perilous journey across the Mediterranean in the past year.
Camille Le Coz, associate director for Europe at the Migration Policy Institute, highlighted the growing popularity of externalising asylum processing. She noted that while the legal grounds for such agreements are shaky, the trend is expected to continue.
She told Al Jazeera: “What is new is the popularity of the idea that you can externalise asylum processing.
“That’s something we’re likely going to see more of moving forward despite shaky legal grounds.”
According to the Office of the UN High Commissioner for Refugees, 264,371 asylum seekers entered Europe by boat and land in 2023, marking a 66 percent increase from the previous year. Italian shores bore the brunt, with six out of every ten arrivals choosing the Mediterranean nation.
Concerns about migration have prompted political leaders to explore unconventional solutions. British Prime Minister Rishi Sunak, criticised for adopting “toxic” rhetoric, faced setbacks in implementing a plan to deport asylum seekers to Rwanda after the UK Supreme Court ruled it unlawful.
Italian Prime Minister Giorgia Meloni, aligning with a staunchly nationalist agenda, signed a deal with Albania to process asylum claims. However, the Constitutional Court of Albania blocked the five-year agreement, citing violations of the constitution and international conventions.
Le Coz also revealed ongoing negotiations with Georgia, Ghana, and Moldova for similar agreements, stressing the uncertainty regarding their legal approval and effectiveness.
The EU has responded to the migration challenge by working on a New Pact on Migration and Asylum. The preliminary agreement reached on December 20 aims to expedite return and border procedures, with provisions to fast-track applications from countries with low approval rates and stricter rules in emergencies.
However, NGOs have criticised the pact, calling it a “devastating blow to the right to seek asylum”. They argue that the measures erode international protection standards and normalise arbitrary immigration detention.
As Tunisia surpassed Libya as the leading embarkation point for African migrants to Europe, the EU struck a €1 billion (£862million) deal to enhance its capacity to prevent sea departures and stabilise Tunisia’s economy. Similar arrangements with Morocco, Egypt, and Sudan are reportedly in the pipeline.
Despite these efforts, NGOs operating in the Mediterranean face challenges. Laws enacted by the Italian government make search and rescue operations more difficult, requiring immediate disembarkation at distant ports.
A media consortium investigation revealed that a vessel linked to renegade Libyan General Kalifa Haftar intercepted boats with asylum seekers, taking them back to Libya. Frontex, the European border agency, was implicated in sharing coordinates with the vessel, raising concerns about the EU’s cooperation with controversial entities.
