UK to pay extra $61.5 mn for Calais border security

The UK will allocate an extra 44.5 million pounds ($61.5 million) to revamp security measures at the English Channel border crossing and in the French border port of Calais, a government spokeswoman said on Thursday.

The extra cash will go towards fencing, CCTV and other detection technology in Calais and other ports, possibly including Dunkirk. It will also be used to help relocate migrants from the port towns to other parts of France, the Guardian reported.

The announcement, which came ahead of a UK-France summit attended by Prime Minister Theresa May and President Emmanuel Macron at the Royal Military Academy in Sandhurst, southern England, aimed to demonstrate a continued close commitment to shared immigration responsibilities ahead of Brexit.

"This is about investing in and enhancing the security of the UK border. Just as we invest in our borders around the rest of the UK, it is only right that we constantly monitor whether there is more we can be doing at the UK border controls in France and Belgium to ensure they are as secure as possible," a government spokeswoman said.

The 2003 Treaty of Le Touquet set in place juxtaposed border controls whereby immigration checks for travel onto the UK are carried out by French authorities on French territory before travellers board UK-bound ferries, rather than the process taking place after disembarkation, although doubt had been cast on the future framework of the agreement after Brexit.

Analysts suggested that, as part of a revitalised Touquet deal, Macron could ask the UK to take in more migrants from Calais in order to prevent another build-up of refugee camps, Efe news reported.

One of Macron's key policies after taking office was to avoid a recurrence of the so-called Calais Jungle camp, which was cleared by authorities in 2016.

Aside from addressing immigration controls, the UK government is also to announce extra military contributions to France's anti-terror operations in Mali as well as an aid package of 50 million pounds dedicated to improving stability in the African Sahel region.

--IANS

soni/dg