European Coordination To Impose Agendas On The Maghreb Countries

European Union accelerated its efforts to establish centers for illegal immigrants in the Maghreb countries, as this concern is reflected in the diplomatic activity that is initiated by the Union against the Maghreb countries, especially Algeria.

Preparatory meeting of senior officials started, on Sunday in Algiers, in its second round of strategic dialogue between Algeria and the European Union on security issues like combating terrorism and illegal immigration, which became a concern for both sides.

The statement of the Algerian Foreign Ministry did not mention the issue of illegal immigrants during this meeting. However, sources in the Foreign Affairs Committee of the European Parliament, spoke about preparing the issue of immigration and security, for discussion, noting that Algeria has consistently rejected any attempts to establish centers of illegal immigrants on its territory.

This meeting is an introduction to the strategic dialogue session of next October in Algeria, which is headed by the Algerian Foreign Minister, Abdelkader Messahel, and the High Representative of the European Union, in charge of foreign affairs and security policy, Federica Mogherini, as the session is a continuation of those held in October 2017 in Brussels.

In the same context, the Belgian Interior Minister, Jan Jambon, prepares a visit to Tunisia next week, and his aim remains the talks about illegal immigration and the establishment of refugee camps on Tunisian territory, according to the British “Financial Times” which reported that this visit marks the occasion to begin discussions with the Tunisian government on the establishment of centers for the reception of illegal refugees who are rescued in the Mediterranean.

The latest EU meeting noticed a major debate over the establishment of centers for illegal immigrants in the Maghreb countries, which was met with a large rejection by the officials of the countries of the southern bank of the Mediterranean, which was behind the issuance of the Union to a vague statement that does not indicate the establishment of those centers in the Maghreb countries, but official statements by European officials have hinted at this.

British Financial Times newspaper quoted Belgian Interior Minister as saying; “Illegal immigrants are threatening European Union countries, and therefore a North African country must be found to carry out this project”, which indicates that his upcoming visit to Tunisia would seek by all means to embody this hoped-for European project that is rejected by the Maghreb countries.

The Italian news agency also spoke about the visit of the President of the European Parliament, Antonio Tajani, to Niger from today, noting that the Niger is one of the largest African countries that are exporting illegal immigrants, if not the largest of all, which means that a high-level European coordination aims to impose agendas on the countries of the southern bank, with regard to illegal immigration.