Aid to Africa from the European Union to be pegged on its willingness to restrict migration
European Union (EU) development aid and trade ties with Africa and other poor countries will be conditional on their willingness to curb migration to Europe according to a proposal by the European Union executive.
“Those countries who … work with us will get certain treatment… those who don’t want to or are incapable will get different treatment and that will be translated via our development, trade policies.” an EU official said of the package of measures put forward by the European Commission
Migrants’ arrivals in Europe trickled down to 1.3 million people last year after the much criticised deal with Turkey. Although most of the migration to Europe last year was by Syrians, Iraqis and others fleeing conflict in the Middle East, the EU leaders are more concerned with the long term prospect of massive migration from Africa.
“We must find solutions, sustainable solutions. We cannot tolerate the loss of human lives at this scale and we must do everything we can to stop it,” the Commission’s deputy head, Frans Timmermans, said in a statement.
Eu plans to spend 8 billion euros in development aid and other assistance in the next five years to ensure that the African countries receiving the money will curb migration in exchange for EU money.
“First in line to agree the so-called “compacts” on aid-for-migration are Jordan and Lebanon, major hosts like Turkey for Syrian refugees. The Commission also said it wants to work towards similar agreements in Africa, with Niger, Nigeria, Senegal, Mali and Ethiopia.” Says Reuters
