EU and African countries unite
Around 60 African and European countries have joined forces to deal with the complicated issue of immigration. A dramatic increase in illegal migrants trying to enter the EU in the south put pressure on African and Europe to act now before it is too late. A meeting in Rabat, Morocco, will bring leaders together to discuss prevention and how to improve cooperation between the two continents. The European Union believes more aid to African states will be one of the main solutions to the immigration problem.
The EU argues the main response should be more financial aid to the region, with the bloc planning to grant €18 billion to Africa between 2007-2013.
“The only long term and sustainable response to migration pressure is not putting more barriers in place, sending people back or selective migration policies. The true response is investing massively in development,” argues EU development commissioner Louis Michel.
However, EU member states have so far failed to hammer out their own common rules on how to deal with immigrants and asylum seekers.
The commission itself stumbled over the issue when Mr Frattini’s so-called list of safe countries - from which the bloc would not recognise asylum seekers and refugees - faced criticism from other commissioners and had to be withdrawn in May.
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Administrator @ July 10, 2006