EU-NORTH AFRICA: MIGRATION FIRST?
The MED This Week newsletter provides informed insights on the most significant developments in the MENA region, bringing together unique opinions and reliable foresight on future scenarios. Today, we shed light on European-North African relations in the aftermath of the Trans-Mediterranean Migration Forum.
On Wednesday, 17 July 2024, the Libyan Government of National Unity (GNU) hosted the Trans-Mediterranean Migration Forum (TMMF) in Tripoli. Representatives from 28 African and European countries, as well as international organisations such as the European Union (EU), the African Union, and the Arab League, attended the conference. High-level attendees included Prime Ministers from Italy, Malta and Tunisia, though there were notable absences, such as France, Morocco and Egypt. For the GNU, the conference was a platform to promote dialogue between Europe and Africa and to create a shared strategy to address “illegal immigration.” Migration remains the most critical issue in the relationship between North African countries and Europe. Recent EU initiatives to curb irregular migration flows have faced heavy criticism from humanitarian organizations, which highlight the violence migrants face in transit countries and accuse the EU of supporting regimes that do not respect human rights. Meanwhile, North African countries feel burdened by the EU’s actions, demanding greater support to manage migration effectively. Moreover, today’s appointments of the new European high-level officials raise questions about the future priorities of the Union, which could also change its approach to migration, and consequently its relations with the southern shore of the Mediterranean.
Experts from the ISPI network discuss the dynamics of North African and European relations.
