Anglo-French summit wrestles with border issues and migration
Today, President Emmanuel Macron will travel to the UK to attend an Anglo-French Summit. There he will meet with Prime Minister Theresa May to discuss defence and migration policy.
Central to the talks will be the Le Touquet accord, an agreement which moved Britain’s border into France in order to control immigration from mainland Europe. Since its inception in 2003, the treaty has resulted in thousands of migrants who are seeking asylum in the UK camping along France’s northern beaches.
Although London has provided $170 million since 2015 to help secure the border, the immigration crisis intensified leaving French officials to feel shortchanged. To help shoulder the financial burden, Macron is now insisting the UK provide further resources.
Although both countries disagree as to the fairness of Le Touquet, walking away could cause a host of humanitarian problems, in addition to degrading already ailing relations. Instead, expect the UK to cough up the funds necessary to keep migrants on France’s side of the channel.
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