Hungary to veto EU-Africa summit agreement

Next Friday, a conference will be hosted in Marrakesh, Morocco with the participation of the EU and several African leaders. The aim of the planned agreement is that the EU transfers funds to African countries in exchange for their hindering of migration. They also intend to stand up against human traffickers. A program is also planned to pay Libyans to return home instead of being shipped to Europe illegally, according to 444.hu.

The preparation of the summit has been in process for a year. The EU and the African countries were to agree about the continuation of the cooperation. However, the Hungarian government announced that they would veto the signing of the document in the name of the EU — which would mean that the whole Union should say no to the agreement.

From the first version of the agreement, everything had to be erased which was referring to the EU’s assumptions as a whole. Instead, the Chief Commissioner of Foreign Affairs of the EU and the Commissioner for Migration were named as the partners of the African countries.

The Hungarian government criticised the agreement, how it does not clearly condemn migration and does not differentiate refugee policy and migration policy.

They stated that, despite the fact that the whole process was about hindering illegal migration.

Representatives of the Belgian, the Portuguese and the Italian governments exclaimed their indignation for Hungary initiating modifications in an agreement after one year of preparation. These alterations would require long discussions with many African countries, and the schedule does not provide enough time for this. Moreover, they also find the suggestions of the Hungarian government unacceptable.

Later, the Spanish, the French, the Austrian and the Finnish ambassadors also joined the condemners of the idea. They added that such backing down would harm the reputation of the EU and this attitude makes the solution of migration difficult.

The Portuguese ambassador highlighted that he does not understand the behaviour of the Hungarian government as this agreement would ease the pressure of migration. The Belgian diplomat stated that these actions would oppose the efforts for the defence of the EU’s borders and the effectiveness of the deportations.

The German and the French ambassadors noted their general disappointment towards Hungary for regularly obstructing the cooperation between EU states.