(Brussels) Many ideas have been submitted by the EU Commission concerning migration, in the run-up to the European Council of February 3rd. To understand the scope of those measures, one should bear in mind the European Agenda on Migration and the efforts made under the partnership that “aims at strengthening cooperation with the partner countries” in Africa. It is a set of hands-on measures, funds, political and diplomatic measures. The first measure intends to reduce the number of crossings in the Mediterranean Sea “and save lives by increasing support to Libya’s coastguard and navy, not least through the Sophia operation of Eunavfor, and to extend the training schemes through an additional immediate funding of 1 million euros for the Seahorse programme and a subsidy of 2.2 million euros as part of the regional development and protection programme in north Africa, and the opening of a sea rescue coordination centre”. Obviously the first partner is Libya, but the strategy submitted by the EU Commission (and it’s certainly not the first one these years, unfortunately often not followed up on, due to the EU member states not wanting to take responsibility) also looks to the other African countries and does not lose sight of the Middle East. Secondly, “fighting harder against people smugglers and people traffickers, by making sure the Mediterranean Seahorse programme is in full swing by spring 2017 to strengthen the coastguards of the north-African countries and make them cooperate better with each other”.
Thirdly: “protecting migrants, increasing rehoming, and promoting assisted voluntary returns by supporting the Unhcr in its efforts with the Libyan authorities, to handle the situation of people who need international protection and to improve the state of migrants in Italy”. Fourthly: “handling migration flows through the southern borders of Libya, by deploying the full range of European missions and projects in support of the Libyan authorities in the management of the borders and in the protection of migrants, promoting dialogue between Libya and the neighbouring countries, and making the most of the momentum that comes from the results with Niger as part of the partnership”. Then, fifthly, increasing the funds of the EU Trust Fund for Africa “with 200 million euros in 2017 to support measures such as the training and equipment of the Libyan coastguard, improving the migrants’ conditions, and increasing assisted voluntary returns”.