“L’European Union distorts the determination of part of the aid to combat poverty in developing countries.” And all in the name of “Controlling migration flows in Libya, Tunisia and Niger“. The complaint comes from the NGO Oxfam which in the latest report from September 21st (again) attacks the EU institutions for mismanagement of migration policy. A behavior that has already occurred in the past and which, according to the non-governmental organization, risks violating international and Community rules on the use of official development assistance (ODA). To be used in a less transparent manner are “i European taxpayers’ money“, in particular 667 million euros in the budget of Floors 21-27 of the European Instrument for Humanitarian Aid and Cooperation (NDCI) and made available to combat poverty in developing countries. A mode of operation that, in view of this, is causing even more discussion Record number of migrant landings on the island of Lampedusa and while the institutions, both in Europe and beyond, have once again failed to provide an effective and unified response to the crisis.
Oxfam reports that there are interested parties six of the 16 European interventions in the three countries examined, representing over 60% of the total allocated funds, equivalent to approximately 1 billion euros. According to the nonprofit organization, the funds will be used to delegate and “outsource” control of EU borders to migrant transit countries Libya, Tunis and Niger. “Until now they were intended to support community activities They endanger respect for the human rights of migrants“, in states where violations and abuses of all kinds have been the order of the day for years,” the report continues. For example, they explain: “Over 93 million European funds have been allocated to Tunisia for blocking migration flows while poverty spreads throughout the country.” The money arrived through the EU trust fund, including 25 million directly Tunisian Maritime National Guard. “All this,” they write, “despite the numerous documented reports of violations of migrants’ human rights by local authorities.” And the situation is similar too Niger. “Here the European agenda is leading to a dramatic humanitarian crisis on the border with Algeria,” writes the NGO. “The pressure on the government to control borders and detain migrants is actually forcing more and more people to travel secret routes that are in the hands of human traffickers. United Nations reports show authorities were in the desert area on the Libya-Niger border They are responsible for 60% of rapes and abuse from which migrant women suffer. However, the European Union continues to finance it with funds intended for official development assistance.” Continuous and constant violence that is increasingly forgotten as people shout about the European emergency.
To date, Oxfam states: Over 130,000 people arrive in our country alone compared to about 68,000 during the same period in 2022, including over 11,000 unaccompanied minors, with an estimate of over 2,000 victims along the central Mediterranean route. Numbers that correspond to human lives and that ask, says the NGO, an assumption of political responsibility. And let it happen as quickly as possible. “The European Union runs the risk of exhausting the resources available and at the same time using them as a weapon of blackmail against African states to which it delegates its responsibility in migration and asylum issues,” he denounces Paolo PezzatiSpokesperson for humanitarian crises at Oxfam Italia. A short-sighted strategystates that “instead of intervening in the structural causes of the migration phenomenon, The rights of refugees continue to be trampled on from misery, natural disasters and wars with the goal build a kind of fortress Europewhich, however, is not able to combat human trafficking or stop deaths at sea, since in Italy alone arrivals have more than doubled since the beginning of 2023 compared to 2022.”
According to Oxfam, the lack of transparency at the institutional level is also very worrying. “Three of the interventions funded in the country and examined in the report are generally referred to as “for migration management“. And they call on the European Parliament to intervene in this regard: “A really worrying opacity.” For this reason, “the Commission must provide all the necessary tools to make the use of funds transparent and, above all, enable the European Parliament to act quickly “Intervening to ensure that every euro allocated to community aid is spent fairly and does not contribute to the violation of human rights.” Oxfam therefore calls on the European Union to “change course” and “work on it “To create safe and regular migration routes, especially from Libya and Tunisia, and to use the aid funds for their actual purpose, namely fighting poverty.” And the NGO too it is also aimed at Italy: “It is necessary that, with a view to the next budget law, Italy works to ensure that all funds earmarked for official development assistance are earmarked.” in accordance with the principles of protection of human rights“. Finally put pressure on the European level. Because “the distortion” in the use of means “can certainly be traced back to the absolute.” Inability of the European Union to find agreement between member states to control migration flows within Europe. A failure of European and national politics that is visible to everyone and represents a shameful side of our present.”