As the summer months approach, the problem of irregular migration is back on the horizon.
Keith Micallef gives a general overview of the major developments in the last 10 years, during which 14,824 irregular migrants reached our shores, while the Maltese government pressed ahead with diplomatic efforts in favour of burden sharing with mixed results
Over 1,400 refugees left Malta to resettle abroad
The United States tops the list of countries taking refugees from Malta to resettle abroad since 2005 in an effort to alleviate the steady flow of irregular migrants reaching this island over the past decade. On average, one in every 10 arrivals was taken up by a foreign country via a resettlement programme that started seven years ago.
Since 2005, 849 immigrants left Malta for The States. This amounts to almost double the figure for EU member states, who took 581 immigrants from Malta over the same period of time. In all since 2005, 1,455 immigrants have been resettled in other countries. From 2002 up to 12 February this year, 14,824 irregular migrants landed in Malta. On average, Malta has had to deal with around 1,500 irregular migrants each year.
Malta with highest applications per capita for asylum in the EU
According to recent data published by Eurostat, last year Malta had the highest number of applications per capita seeking asylum in the whole of the EU. This was equivalent to 4,500 applications per one million inhabitants, whereas in France, although the total number of applications was much higher and reached 56,300, this was still way below the local per capital level, with only 865 applications per million inhabitants.
According to Eurostat, there were 1,890 applicants in Malta last year. Of these, 455 were from Somali citizens, 315 from Eritreans and 250 from Nigerians. On the other hand, the number of decided cases in 2011 stood at 1,605, with 885 cases upheld which is well above the EU average.
Biggest influx in 2007
The worst year of this humanitarian crisis was in 2007, when a staggering 2,775 immigrants reached Malta. This contrasts sharply with 2010, when only two boats reached Malta with 47 immigrants in total. This sudden reduction in the number of arrivals was a direct result of the agreement reached between Italy and Libya, through which Ghaddafi promised to take serious action in return for millions of euros each year from Italy.
In reality the former colonial masters had no other options left, with the number of irregular migrants landing in Lampedusa reaching alarming proportions resulting in a huge humanitarian crisis and, more alarmingly, having a significant negative impact on the level of support for the Berlusconi government.
At the time, Italian Prime Minister Silvio Berlusconi and the Libyan Leader where very close and collaboration between the two countries was at its best since colonial times. In June 2009, Ghaddafi visited Italy in what was controversially termed by some as a “historic visit”. These closer ties resulted in the ‘Treaty of Friendship’ through which Libya was receiving $5 billion as compensation for the hardships inflicted on the Libyan people during Italian colonial rule between 1911 and 1943.
The Arab Spring takes its toll
However, once the stability of the Gaddafi regime began to crumble a year ago, as expected irregular migrants raised its head again, this time with an even greater dimension owing to the huge humanitarian crises in the whole of North Africa. After no landings in the first two months of last year, between March and the end of June 1,530 immigrants fled to Malta, 819 of them in March. As the civil conflict dragged on and assumed greater military proportions, the sea was no longer a ‘safe’ escape route and this resulted in practically no more arrivals in Malta until the end of the year, when a single boat carrying 44 irregular migrants was rescued by the Maltese authorities.
Occasional increase in tensions between Malta and Italy
However, in recent weeks, irregular migration seems to be back on the agenda, with tensions rising once again between the Italian and Maltese governments over search and rescue responsibilities in the region.
The issue escalated further after the Italian government declared that the port of Lampedusa was no longer safe and had a reached saturation point after hundreds of immigrants reached this Italian island in the space of few hours. Meanwhile further tragedies unfolded when others were not so lucky and perished in the Strait of Sicily.
In response to this crisis, throughout the years the Maltese government lobbied incessantly for the EU to shoulder its responsibilities and emphasized the principle of burden sharing with mixed results.
On the diplomatic front
Ironically, the greatest success was achieved outside Europe, with the United States being the most keen to assist Malta since 2007. From a modest beginning with 28 immigrants taking up the resettlement programme, a year later this number increased to 175 and 244 in 2010. Last year this steady flow continued, with 176 resettlements, and so far this year the figure already stands at 38.
On the diplomatic front, the most significant advance to date for Malta remains the EU Immigration Pact. Although on a voluntary basis, several EU countries have pledged to assist Malta, even though the take up of this initiative remains comparatively low. Among EU states, Germany tops the list, having taken 286 immigrants since 2005, followed by France with 191. The contribution of other EU states has been minimal, to say the least, with numbers varying from six to 20 over the same period.
On 15 March, the United Nations High Commission for Refugees (UNHCR) issued a warning to the Italian government to speed up preparations on Lampedusa for a possible new wave of refugees fleeing the Horn of Africa and the Middle East with the conflict in Syria dragging on.
Asked for his reactions regarding these latest developments, Interior Minister Carm Mifsud Bonnici said that this was to be expected. In fact, during a recent meeting of the Parliamentary Social Committee he warned that, owing to the current situation in Libya, where the new transitional government is still not in full control, the lax security in parts of the northern coast are proving to be a safe haven for criminal organisations. Whereas before it was the Ghaddafi regime itself that was inducing irregular migration to increase his leverage in the relationship with richer European Mediterranean countries, now criminal organisations have filled that void.
As far as relations with Italy are concerned, the Interior Minister said that the recent state visit of Malta’s President to Italy, where he had talks with – among others – his Italian counterpart Giorgio Napolitano, showed that both countries have great mutual respect and that their relationship is not only still intact, but healthy.
On the diplomatic front, Home Affairs Minister Carm Mifsud Bonnici said that Malta’s lobbying at European level was paying dividends. He highlighted the fact that during a recent EU Justice and Home Affairs Council meeting, one of the conclusions approved called for greater solidarity. As well as following the EU immigration Pact in 2008 Malta, together with other member states, took part in two resettlement programmes.
“Something like this was unthinkable prior to that pact” explained Dr Mifsud Bonnici. He said that work is already underway on the third programme, with the clear intention that it will be of a permanent nature.
Meanwhile, since 2008 Malta has been taking part in joint repatriation schemes with other member states organised by Frontex. “This is a very meticulous process, which involves a great deal of documentation, research and coordination with the various countries involved, but we are still achieving results as, only recently, three people were deported back to Nigeria” said the Minister.
As far as the United States – which has taken the lion’s share of refugees who have been resettled after arriving in Malta – is concerned, Dr Mifsud Bonnici said these efforts will be sustained.
