UK Prime Minister Sunak Says Migration Threatens To Overwhelm Europe
Rishi Sunak, the UK Prime Minister, has expressed concerns about illegal migration and suggested that international law may need to be changed to address the issue. Speaking at an event in Rome, Sunak stated that immigration could be used as a “weapon” by “enemies” to destabilise societies, Sky News reported. He warned that criminal gangs would exploit people’s lives by putting them at risk in dangerous sea journeys.
Sunak highlighted the need to tackle the problem, stating that if it is not addressed, the number of migrants will continue to increase and overwhelm countries’ capacity to assist those who genuinely need it. He said:
If we do not tackle this problem, the numbers will only grow.
It will overwhelm our countries and our capacity to help those who actually need our help the most.
If that requires us to update our laws and lead an international conversation to amend the post-war frameworks around asylum, then we must do that.
Because if we don’t fix this problem now, the boats will keep coming and more lives will be lost at sea.
In the UK, Sunak has been facing challenges in passing his flagship Rwanda bill, which was deemed unlawful by the Supreme Court. The bill aims to declare Rwanda as a safe country in law. Despite potential rebellion, a revised version of the bill was passed by Members of Parliament at its second reading. The revised bill allows ministers to disapply the UK’s Human Rights Act but does not extend the same powers to the European Convention on Human Rights, as demanded by some hardline Tory MPs.
Europe is a popular destination for people from Africa, Asia, and the Middle East who are seeking better economic opportunities or fleeing from conflicts in their own countries. However, European countries have been facing challenges in accommodating the increasing number of migrants, especially due to the global economic recession and the COVID-19 pandemic. As a result, European countries have been reviewing their immigration policies to become more restrictive.
The issue of migration has brought up discussions about the historical legacies of slavery and colonization. Some analysts argue that while African countries have a responsibility to develop their own economies, Europe should not close its doors to migrants, considering that it benefited from Africa’s natural resources during colonial times and also took advantage of Africa’s human resources during the Industrial Revolution. These events had a negative impact on African economies.
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