The EU is not criminalising those crossing the sea to enter Europe, the migrants are doing it themselves
07 July 2021 - 17:00
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Sub-Saharan migrants sit on an overcrowded raft during a rescue operation by the Spanish NGO Proactiva Open Arms in the central Mediterranean Sea, north of the coastal Libyan city of Sabratha. Picture: REUTERS/GIORGOS MOUTAFIS
Adekeye Adebajo is a potent source of misinformation and disinformation. In his most recent column (“Highs and lows of relations between the AU and EU”, July 4) he tells us that “In 2020 12,929 African migrants attempted to cross the Mediterranean into the EU with 983 of them drowning”.
Yet the International Office for Migration says 33,418 Africans actually arrived on European shores (not just attempted to cross), and of course very large numbers arrived illegally and are not recorded. He also accuses the EU of “criminalising migrants”, but of course the migrants know perfectly well they are breaking the law.
He also says 10.6-million of “Africa’s global migrants” (who total 39.4-million) are in Europe. If they really were arriving at the rate of fewer than 13,000 a year, as he suggests, it would take more than 800 years for 10.6-million to arrive. Those figures are clearly wrong. If only 10.6-million are in Europe, where have the other 28.8-million gone? There are very few in the Middle East or Asia, and not many get to America. And we know that Europe is overwhelmingly the preferred destination.
Incidentally, in 2007 the BBC estimated that 4.6-million African migrants were living in Europe, but the Migration Policy Institute reckoned there were already 7-million to 8-million illegal African migrants living in the EU.
In the rest of his article Adebajo details the many acts of generosity by the EU towards the AU and concludes that “both sides must work hard to build a relationship”. Surely that shouldn’t be difficult for the AU? It just has to accept that generosity. It doesn’t seem to have any problems doing that.
RW Johnson Constantia
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Support our award-winning journalism. The Premium package (digital only) is R30 for the first month and thereafter you pay R129 p/m now ad-free for all subscribers.
LETTER: Cloud of confusion over migrants
The EU is not criminalising those crossing the sea to enter Europe, the migrants are doing it themselves
Adekeye Adebajo is a potent source of misinformation and disinformation. In his most recent column (“Highs and lows of relations between the AU and EU”, July 4) he tells us that “In 2020 12,929 African migrants attempted to cross the Mediterranean into the EU with 983 of them drowning”.
Yet the International Office for Migration says 33,418 Africans actually arrived on European shores (not just attempted to cross), and of course very large numbers arrived illegally and are not recorded. He also accuses the EU of “criminalising migrants”, but of course the migrants know perfectly well they are breaking the law.
He also says 10.6-million of “Africa’s global migrants” (who total 39.4-million) are in Europe. If they really were arriving at the rate of fewer than 13,000 a year, as he suggests, it would take more than 800 years for 10.6-million to arrive. Those figures are clearly wrong. If only 10.6-million are in Europe, where have the other 28.8-million gone? There are very few in the Middle East or Asia, and not many get to America. And we know that Europe is overwhelmingly the preferred destination.
Incidentally, in 2007 the BBC estimated that 4.6-million African migrants were living in Europe, but the Migration Policy Institute reckoned there were already 7-million to 8-million illegal African migrants living in the EU.
In the rest of his article Adebajo details the many acts of generosity by the EU towards the AU and concludes that “both sides must work hard to build a relationship”. Surely that shouldn’t be difficult for the AU? It just has to accept that generosity. It doesn’t seem to have any problems doing that.
RW Johnson
Constantia
JOIN THE DISCUSSION: Send us an e-mail with your comments. Letters of more than 300 words will be edited for length. Send your letter by e-mail to letters@businesslive.co.za. Anonymous correspondence will not be published. Writers should include a daytime telephone number.
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