Sunak, Macron agree greater cooperation on Channel migrants: UK PM’s office

UK Prime Minister Rishi Sunak and French President Emmanuel Macron Friday in their first call since Sunak took office agreed on greater cooperation to prevent migrant Channel crossings, Downing Street said.

A spokesperson said the leaders “committed to deepening our partnership to deter deadly journeys across the Channel that benefit organised criminals”.

Sunak stressed the “importance for both nations to make the Channel route completely unviable for people traffickers”.

This year, a record number of 37,570 people have crossed the Channel to England in small boats.

The issue has caused a major political headache for the UK government, which promised tighter border controls after leaving the European Union.

Tensions have risen between London and Paris, with the UK government accusing France of not doing enough to stop the crossings.

The Times reported on Friday, citing government sources, that Sunak wants to tighten up terms of a draft deal with France on cross-Channel cooperation and make it “more ambitious”.

Sunak wants the draft deal with France to include a minimum number of French officers patrolling beaches, the report said.

It said the prime minister also wants new internal targets for the UK interior ministry to process 80 percent of asylum claims within six months, to reduce the current backlog.

Sunak’s interior minister, Suella Braverman, supports a government plan to send migrants illegally crossing the Channel to Rwanda.

Macron released a statement on his discussion with Sunak in which the French president said he was ready to “work closely” with Sunak to deepen bilateral relations, particularly on defence and energy.

The men are set to hold a joint summit next year.