🌊💰🚢 Europe, Tunisia Scoring Deals fo’ Control Da Migrant Wave
⬇️ Pidgin | ⬇️ ⬇️ English
Bumbai, one Europe Union (EU) wen score one deal wit Tunisia fo’ try slow down da numba of migrants cross da Mediterranean, right afta da deadliest shipwreck in nuff years, brah. 🚢⚓️
Unda dis deal, da Tunisian government wen promise fo’ lockdown tight da sea borders an’ go afta da people smuggling rings, plus fast track da return of da Tunisians stay illegal kine in Europe. 🛂🌍
Da EU, in return, going beef up da support package fo’ da North African country, wea da economy stay struggling, brah. 🏦💰
Da capital city, Tunis, stay one major port, less than 130 nautical miles from da Italian island of Sicily, an’ even more close to da small kine Italian islands. Dat make Tunisia not just one source of da migrants, but also one major rest stop for sub-Saharan Africans trying fo’ reach Europe. 🌍🚤
Da Tunisian authorities been catching heat fo’ treating da sub-Saharan migrants all bus’ up, including rounding up plenny of dem an’ dumping dem at da desert border with Libya, no more grinds or water. 😡🏜️
On top of Sunday, da European bloc wen promise Tunisia 105 million euros, or $118 million, fo’ stuffs like patrol boats and drones, plus training and technical support fo’ da border guards. Dem guys also goin’ help cover da costs fo’ voluntary repatriation fo’ sub-Saharan migrants. 🛥️💸👮♂️
Back in June, had more than 600 migrants wen die when dea boat wen flip over off da coast of Greece. Dat big kine loss, an’ da fact dat da European officials neva wen help da sinking ship fo’ long time before it wen flip, wen add more heat to da debate about da bloc’s part in da crisis. 🌊🚢⚰️
“Da shipwreck wen happen few weeks ago, had plenny peeps wen lose their lives, dat was one nodda call fo’ action,” Ursula von der Leyen, da head of da European Commission, da EU executive arm, wen tell da news peeps in Tunis on Sunday. “We gotta come down hard on da criminal networks of smugglers and traffickers.” 🗣️🚨🕵️♀️
Den had 105 million euros to fight against da irregular migration, da EU guys also wen promise 150 million euros — $169 million — in budget support fo’ Tunisia, but neva say how da money goin’ be spent. Da bloc wen say had also “an offer on da table” of 900 million euros, or over $1 billion, of macro financial assistance, but gotta be dat Tunisia agree to reforms set out by da International Monetary Fund. 💶🏦
From 2015 to 2016, had more than one million refugees, mainly from Syria, wen arrive in Europe, dat wen make dem guys get tough on da migration policies. Da bloc, and da public opinion, wen go fo’ more strict policies dat some mainstream parties had seen as not da European way befo’. 🚢👣
Now, wit millions of Ukrainian refugees in Europe over da last 18 months, da asylum systems stay over the max, an’ da European politicians stay looking fo’ new ways fo’ cut down da number of newcomers. 🏢📑
Da deal was announced on Sunday by Ms. von der Leyen, Prime Minister Mark Rutte of da Netherlands, Prime Minister Giorgia Meloni of Italy and President Kais Saied of Tunisia. Fo’ da deal fo’ start, gotta be all da heads of da EU governments give da green light, an’ looks like goin’ happen, brah. 💡📝
“Tunisian peeps wen give everything dey could to da displaced migrants wit all da aloha, wit unlimited generosity, while had plenny odda organizations dat supposed to be helping but neva do nothing, only talk story,” Mr. Saied wen tell da reporters. “Da solution to dis no good situation can only be one togetha kine one.” 🗣️🤝
Mr. Rutte, one leader of a middle road coalition, an’ Ms. Meloni, one right-wing popularist, not da same kine people, but their countries wen feel da migration levels big time: Italy as one of Europe’s main entry points, and da Netherlands as da top pick fo’ many migrants. Last week, Mr. Rutte’s government wen collapse over one proposed refugee policy. 🏛️🗳️
On Sunday, both leaders wen say good things about da deal, wit Ms. Meloni calling it one “model” for future relations wit North African countries. EU officials said dey hope dat more money and closer cooperation goin’ give dem more control in trying fo’ stop da abuses by da Tunisian authorities. 🌍🤝💡
But had human rights experts, analysts an’ lawmakers wen talk stink about da agreement, saying not pono fo’ give foreign governments money fo’ stopping da flow of migrants. 🧑⚖️💰🚫
For years, da European Union wen give plenty money to da Libyan Coast Guard, who get bad record for abusing migrants, fo’ limit da number of people coming to its shores. Now, critics wen say, da bloc doing da same ting wit Tunisia. 🚁💸🏖️
Mr. Saied been leading one hate campaign against workers an’ students from sub-Saharan Africa, accusing dem of trying to replace da native Tunisian population. Mr. Saied — who also been criticized for rolling back democracy and the rights of Tunisia’s own citizens — wen deny da racism accusations, saying dat da legal migrants had nothing fo’ worry about. 🗣️🏦🚦
“Da deal show dat once again, Europe stay ready fo’ turn blind eye to its values fo’ provide a short-term fix to a migration problem,” said Camille Le Coz, associate director of da Brussels-based Migration Policy Institute. “Wat’s missing is a reference to protection concerns and da human rights abuses against migrants.” 👀🔒🗣️
NOW IN ENGLISH
🌊💰🚢 Europe and Tunisia Score Deals to Control Migrant Wave
In an effort to curb the number of migrants crossing the Mediterranean, the European Union (EU) has made a deal with Tunisia, following the deadliest shipwreck in many years. 🚢⚓️
Under this agreement, the Tunisian government has pledged to strengthen its sea borders and combat people-smuggling networks, in addition to expediting the return of Tunisians residing illegally in Europe. 🛂🌍
In exchange, the EU will offer a broad package of support to the North African country’s struggling economy. 🏦💰
The capital of Tunisia, Tunis, is a major port less than 130 nautical miles from the Italian island of Sicily, and even closer to smaller Italian islands. This location makes Tunisia not just a source of migrants, but also a significant stopover for sub-Saharan Africans trying to reach Europe. 🌍🚤
The Tunisian authorities have faced criticism for their alleged mistreatment of sub-Saharan migrants, including rounding up large numbers of them and leaving them at the desert border with Libya without food or water. 😡🏜️
On Sunday, the European bloc promised Tunisia €105 million ($118 million) for equipment like patrol boats and drones, as well as for training and technical support for border guards. They will also help cover the cost of voluntary repatriation for sub-Saharan migrants. 🛥️💸👮♂️
In June, a tragedy occurred when more than 600 migrants died as their overloaded boat capsized off the coast of Greece. This major loss, combined with the failure of European officials to aid the sinking ship in the long hours before it tipped over, has intensified the debate about the bloc’s role in the crisis. 🌊🚢⚰️
“The tragic shipwreck a few weeks ago, in which many people lost their lives, was yet another call for action,” Ursula von der Leyen, the head of the European Commission (the EU executive arm), told reporters in Tunis on Sunday. “We need to crack down on criminal networks of smugglers and traffickers.” 🗣️🚨🕵️♀️
Apart from the €105 million to combat irregular migration, EU officials also pledged €150 million ($169 million) in budget support for Tunisia, without detailing how the money would be used. The bloc also mentioned an “offer on the table” of €900 million (over $1 billion) of macro financial assistance, contingent on Tunisia agreeing to reforms set out by the International Monetary Fund. 💶🏦
Europe significantly toughened its migration policies following the arrival of over one million refugees, mainly from Syria, between 2015 and 2016. This influx led to a shift in the bloc and public opinion towards stricter policies that some mainstream parties had previously viewed as contrary to European values. 🚢👣
Now, with millions of Ukrainian refugees having arrived in Europe over the past 18 months, asylum systems are overburdened. As a result, European politicians are seeking new ways to reduce the number of newcomers. 🏢📑
The deal was announced on Sunday by Ms. von der Leyen, Prime Minister Mark Rutte of the Netherlands, Prime Minister Giorgia Meloni of Italy, and President Kais Saied of Tunisia. To take effect, it must be formally endorsed by the heads of all EU governments, which is expected. 💡📝
“The Tunisian people have provided everything they could for these displaced migrants with full hospitality, unlimited generosity, while many other organizations that should have played their role properly did not move, only issuing statements,” Mr. Saied told reporters. “The solution to this inhumane situation can only be a joint one.” 🗣️🤝
Mr. Rutte, a centrist coalition leader, and Ms. Meloni, a right-wing populist, are an unlikely pair. However, their countries have been heavily affected by rising migration levels: Italy, as one of Europe’s main entry points, and the Netherlands, as a preferred destination for many migrants. Last week, Mr. Rutte’s government collapsed over a proposed refugee policy. 🏛️🗳️
On Sunday, both leaders praised the deal, with Ms. Meloni describing it as a “model” for future relations with North African countries. EU officials said they hope that increased funding and closer cooperation would give them more leverage in trying to curb abuses by the Tunisian authorities. 🌍🤝💡
However, human rights experts, analysts, and lawmakers criticized the agreement, arguing it is risky to financially reward foreign governments for stemming the flow of migrants. 🧑⚖️💰🚫
For years, the European Union has been funding the Libyan Coast Guard, which has a well-documented record of abusing migrants, to limit the number of people arriving on its shores. Now, critics argue, the bloc is repeating the same scenario with Tunisia. 🚁💸🏖️
Mr. Saied has spearheaded a campaign against workers and students from sub-Saharan Africa, accusing them of trying to replace the native Tunisian population. Mr. Saied, who has also been criticized for rolling back democracy and the rights of Tunisia’s own citizens, has denied accusations of racism, asserting that legal migrants had nothing to fear. 🗣️🏦🚦
“The deal shows that once again, Europe is ready to turn a blind eye to its values to provide a short-term fix to a migration problem,” said Camille Le Coz, associate director of the Brussels-based Migration Policy Institute. “What’s missing is a reference to protection concerns and the human rights abuses against migrants.” 👀🔒🗣️
