The European Commission is moving forward, imperturbably, in the construction of “ mutually beneficial strategic partnerships » with African countries, including a vast component of migration management, based on the model of the controversial agreement concluded between the European Union (EU) and Tunisia in the summer of 2023. After Tunis, where Ursula von der Leyen was in July accompanied by the Italian and Dutch prime ministers, the president of the European executive traveled to Nouakchott at the beginning of February with the Spanish prime minister, Pedro Sanchez.
The choice of this destination is not accidental. In January, irregular arrivals recorded by the European agency Frontex increased sharply in the Canaries, off the Moroccan coast. Some 6,686 irregular entries were recorded on the Spanish archipelago, an increase of 48%. At the same time, arrivals dried up from the central Mediterranean route, with 1,511 entries in January, down 71%.
Departures, on the rise on the Libyan side, have fallen since the fall in Tunisia, hampered by increased surveillance by the authorities. Proof that the global partnership pre-agreement reached last summer between Europe and Tunisia – a time contested by Tunis and part of the European Parliament – is indeed being implemented. Some 105 million euros were planned to combat irregular immigration to Europe. The services of the European executive are working at a technical level with Tunis on multiple cooperation projects on this issue.
Since then, the Commission has increased its exchanges with other countries in North Africa, particularly Mauritania. Officially, it is still a global partnership which concerns economic development, with support for renewable energy projects, security and of course the migration issue.
Make returns easier
“I would like to underline your commitment to rescuing migrants who take the Atlantic route, one of the most dangerous in the world, has recalled Ursula von der Leyen on February 9 in Nouakchott. The European Union and Mauritania must strengthen their cooperation in this area as well as for border management, returns and assistance to refugees. »
To do this, “We discussed a joint declaration and roadmap, which we will finalize in the spring, accompanied by a financial envelope – more than 210 million euros by the end of the year – for the migration management, for humanitarian aid to refugees, but also for investments in employment, skills and entrepreneurship”she added.
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