UK, France strike deal to stem Channel migration flows

Paris, Nov 14 (EFE).- France and the United Kingdom on Monday struck a new agreement to strengthen cooperation to stem the irregular flow of migrants from northern France to the British coasts.

The agreement, penned by France’s interior minister Gérald Darmanin and the UK’s home secretary Suella Braverman, is an extension of a previous deal that will deepen bilateral cooperation to reduce the number of crossings in the English Channel and will provide more maritime patrols and the deployment of more technical support.

“This is a global challenge requiring global solutions, and it is in the interests of both the UK and French governments to work together to solve this complex problem,” Braverman said in a statement after meeting her French counterpart in Paris.

“There are no quick fixes, but this new arrangement will mean we can significantly increase the number of French gendarmes patrolling the beaches in northern France and ensure UK and French officers are working hand in hand to stop the people smugglers,” she added.

The joint agreement which the UK government described as a “more integrated approach” includes a 40% increase in the number of UK-funded officers patrolling French beaches.

Almost 40,000 people have crossed the English Channel to British territory so far this year, according to official UK data, which is the highest number since the collection of data on irregular crossings began in 2018. EFE

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