Link to article: https://www.bbc.com/news/articles/cnvdy6ze761o
Prime Minister of Britain Keir Starmer planned to meet with Italian PM Giorgia Meloni on the topic of migration, as Italy has recently decreased the number of migrants arriving in the country. Both Italy and the UK wish to decrease the number of irregular arrivals by sea at their borders. The decrease in the number of migrants to Italy stems from deals between Italy and Tunisia and Libya to keep the migrants in North Africa, a controversial decision in terms of human rights, as said migrants are attempting to escape dangerous conditions of war and famine in their home countries. Italy has chosen to establish reception centers in bordering Albania, where migrants can apply for asylum in Italy, or be deported. Britain, seeing success in this model, is interested in joining the outsourcing of border and migration control in Albania. Because Britain is not a member of the EU however, their ability and capacity to manage the flow of migration into the country is much weaker than in the past.
I think that the article is important because it marks a development in the way that European countries are dealing with migrants seeking asylum from dangerous situations. Migrants are fleeing worsening economic and social conditions as well as persecution and war throughout north Africa, and they want to find new lives in Europe. I think that it is unfair to stem such a flow of migrants as they are clearly escaping life threatening conditions. If Britain follows the same path as Italy, I think the majority of British people will look down upon and fail to help those in need of assistance, may it be economically or in terms of another resource. I think this may also worsen conditions in North Africa as relations fail between northern African states and nearby European states, and migrants are stuck. The UK has recently failed to stem any influx of migrants due to BREXIT in 2020; they are receiving no assistance in terms of border controls from other European countries.
In class, we have been talking largely about IGO’s and the different global actors. The UK is an example of a multinational state, including Wales, England, Scotland, and Northern Ireland. The entire UK, who had been a part of the European Union, an economic and cultural inter-governmental organization, left the IGO in 2020. Italy, a nation-state, is a member of the EU. Throughout our in-class discussions of current global conflicts, I think this article is interesting and prompts thoughts on how countries should respond to mass migration on a global scale. How should countries bordering states such as Ukraine and Israel react to the flow of migrants fleeing from life threatening conditions?