| Ahead of today’s Valletta Summit, ALDE leader Verhofstadt and refugee crisis spokesperson Wikström urge European leaders not to outsource the refugee crisis to regimes with questionable human rights records. The ALDE strongly supports stronger cooperation with Africa and improve the conditions in the refugee centres, but urges the Member States to first and foremost do their homework: agree on a European Border and Coast Guard and a European asylum-and migration system including a European Blue Card for skilled and non-skilled workers.
Guy Verhofstadt: “It is positive that African and European leaders meet, but it would be insulting to the people who flee wars, misery and poverty to think that we can solve this refugee crisis by simply giving African countries more money. We have to cooperate and improve the conditions in the refugee camps, but it can only be part of a comprehensive strategy in which we also do our own homework. We should not become dependent on countries with questionable human rights records. This would go against all the values the EU stands for.”
“African countries will not solve the underlying root cause for Europe`s failure to deal with this crisis. The reason is that the lack of solidarity and the political will to cooperate between Member States has never been so low. This has to change. Europeans are fed up with European Summits turning into shouting matches between European leaders. They want to see solutions.”
Cecilia Wikström (Sweden, Centerpartiet), ALDE spokesperson on the refugee crisis added: “The situation in many of the African countries, such as Libya, Eritrea and Somalia, is deeply worrying when it comes to the respect for human rights, democratic principles and the rule of law. Therefore, it is obvious that it would be wrong for the EU to try to relocate the refugee crisis to these countries in exchange for giving them increased assistance.”
“At the same time it is important that we in Europe are doing what we can to alleviate suffering and to contribute to the democratisation and the growth in our region. The cooperation between African countries and the EU should of course continue, but the EU can only tackle the refugee crisis that is currently going on in our union by creating a new asylum system adapted to our time’s situation and major challenges.” |
