The UK government is set to provide France with some 12 million pounds ($20 million) to help tackle the problem of illegal immigrants attempting to gain entry into Britain by way of Calais.
The money is to be spent on improvements in border control and
heightened security at the northern French port city, which has
seen a surge in attempts at scaling gates.
Funding will take the form of a joint intervention fund. Britain
will contribute £4 million ($6.4 million) every year for three
years.
READ MORE: UK to send NATO fences from Wales to France to deter immigrants
New technology being channeled into the effort will target
lorries which could be carrying migrants, as well as the
implementation of stronger fences and higher security in the car
park, according to the cooperation plan announced by UK Home
Secretary Theresa May and her French counterpart, Bernard
Cazeneuve.
Cazeneuve added that organized crime gangs would also be
specifically targeted.
“This fund will finance moves to secure the port of Calais
and protect the vulnerable,” Cazeneuve said in a Saturday
statement.
The number of people congregating in Calais has exploded over the
past year. Some 1,500 illegal immigrants are currently estimated
to be in the city.
The number has increased by approximately 50 percent in the past
year, given several crises in both the Middle East and northern
and eastern parts of Africa.
READ MORE: Send them to the UK: French port struggles to tackle immigration crisis
The issues surrounding immigration have contributed to increasing
right-wing sentiments in both the UK and France.
Marine Le Pen's anti-immigration National Front party has
witnessed a rise in local support, while it emerged in May that
the UK Home Office was reportedly dolling out “secret”
payments to embassies in order to expedite the removal of illegal
migrants from Britain.
In September, Britain announced plans to erect a huge fence in
the French port city of Calais. Dubbed the "Ring of Steel," the
barrier – which measures more than 12 miles long and nine feet
high – was previously used at a NATO summit in South Wales. It
was first erected around Celtic Manor in Newport, as well as
around summit venues in Cardiff. It was aimed at protecting
dozens of world leaders and ministers from potential terrorist
threats.