Following the continuous flow of migrants from many countries into Europe, the European Union (EU) is stepping up its effort to limit this and ensure that more flow of refugees into EU territories is stopped forthwith.
In this regard the EU have entered into an agreement with the Tunisian government to immediately stem the flow of migrants through their borders with the African country.
Tunisia is a border country and entry point into Europe by many migrants. These are not all actually from Africa. Many migrants that are not originally from Africa use the North African country as a gateway into EU and Europe generally.
Those who use the Tunisia gateway includes smugglers who are also in the business of human trafficking into Europe.
The purpose of the agreement is to get the Tunisian government to step up efforts to curb this practice and disallow these smugglers from using Tunisian territory for their business.
Those whom the EU seek to stop from going through the Tunisian borders also includes asylum seekers who are seeking for refuge in Europe. The EU essentially wants the Tunis to tighten up border control measures in this respect.
In return, the EU has pledged to boost economic investment in the North African country. The deal is worth €1bn and will be implemented, for as long as the Tunis commit to preventing the flow of migrants and smugglers via the Mediterranean Sea.
The EU also want Tunisia to replicate the very controversial arrangement that United Kingdom has with Rwanda. This is to use Tunisia as what they refer to as a “safe third party” state for asylum seekers.
What does “safe third party” mean?
Tunisia will act for the EU as border patrol agents to oversee their common boarders. They will seek out and stop asylum seekers crossing into the EU.
The EU will also return to Tunisia asylum seekers who have already crossed into the EU. In Tunisia these migrants or asylum seekers who are deported from EU will now be processed and returned to their home countries.
However, it appears that devil is in the details, as indications have emerged that Tunisia appears not to have accepted all the terms or the EU expectations wholesale.
The African country have rejected the idea of being used as a “reception centre” for deported migrants from the EU. This is despite the groundbreaking €1bn deal in the works.
At least in public, Tunisia appears to be drawing the line between what the EU wants and what they can deliver or what they want to publicly admit.
They seem to be rejecting the idea of receiving back anyone who have already reached European shores unless Tunisian citizens who left to the EU illegally.
Time will tell.
