No way to stop the flood of illegal migrants

Illegal migration will only stop when economic tides raises all boats in the developing world

Migrants will keep coming to Europe's shores until their economic fortunes improve at home. Guardia Costiera / AFP

Illegal migration is a problem that is bigger than any single state. Rather, it is a problem that requires decisive action by the international community and the UN Security Council. But even action from such a high perch will not fundamentally change the equation that leads hundreds of thousands of people to flee their home countries every year in search of a better economic future or safety in the West.

The 300 people who drowned in the Mediterranean on their way from Libya to Italy, as The National reported yesterday, are likely to have been economic migrants. They were mainly from Sub-Saharan Africa and tragically packed into rubber dinghies to make the perilous crossing to Europe. Their deaths have highlighted the inherent problem posed by economic migration. The European Union does not have the capability to patrol the entirety of the Mediterranean and prevent these tragedies recurring at too frequent intervals. The hard truth is that the allure of economic prosperity, however illusory, will continue to exercise a too-fatal attraction for people throughout the global south. There is an urgent need to portray the dream as it is – wishful thinking. Public messaging campaigns that highlight the dangers of being an illegal immigrant as well as the grim realities of life on the margins of western society might help. Even so, the economics of illegal immigration means that the hopeful south to north flow will continue until conditions in the developing world catch up with those of the West.

There is another type of illegal migrant too – refugees from conflict zones. When it comes to families fleeing the violence of Syria’s civil war or Afghanistan or Iraq, Europe simply must do more to help. There must be greater communication between individual member states of the European Union and a greater willingness to share the burden. Sweden has graciously opened its door to Syrian refugees with the promise of political asylum but only if they are able to make their way across Europe. It is up to the EU to do more to facilitate their journey. Finally, there must be a concerted move to dismantle people-trafficking rings. This won’t solve anything, just mitigate it.