With the Middle East plunged into new conflict and the shadow of a growing humanitarian crisis, the president of the European Commission, Ursula von der Leyen, issued an urgent warning to European leaders: the European Union must activate all diplomatic mechanisms and strategic partnerships to prevent instability from becoming an uncontrolled wave of migration towards Europe.
“Although, for now, the conflict has not resulted in immediate migratory flows towards the EU, the future remains uncertain and requires the full mobilization of all the instruments of migration diplomacy at our disposal”, stated the leader of the community executive, in a letter addressed to the leaders of the 27 Member States, who will meet next Thursday, March 19, in Brussels.
Von der Leyen salientou that “It is imperative” to collaborate with countries in the region, such as Turkey – to which the EU has already disbursed more than 1.1 billion euros since 2021 to reinforce its borders –, Lebanon and Pakistan.
In the six-page letter, the German politician warned that the current geopolitical situation “carries an increasing risk of a prolonged conflict with direct and indirect repercussions for the Union”, when 16 days have passed since the air offensive launched by the United States and Israel against Iran and which spread to several countries in the Middle East.
The president of the European Commission detailed the support measures that the EU is taking or should take for neighboring countries or those affected by the conflict, with the aim of mitigating migratory flows.
In this sense, he highlighted the four million Afghans in Iran “in a precarious situation and vulnerable to further displacement” and reiterated that European humanitarian support for Afghan citizens and communities in Iran is ongoing.
The European leader warned that military tension between Afghanistan and Pakistan “risks worsening an already fragile situation” and indicated that the EU should cooperate with Iraq, Pakistan, Armenia and Azerbaijan “to combat migrant trafficking”.
Regarding Lebanon, he highlighted “the serious consequences that Israel’s military operation is having on the civilian population, causing large-scale displacements”, referring to Israeli bombings and ground incursions against the Shiite group Hezbollah, an ally of Tehran, which have already displaced more than 800,000 people.
Ursula Von der Leyen highlighted an EU funding agreement with Beirut, reached last December, which includes €25 million in aid for land and sea border security.
The Commission President also referred to Syria, stating that “it is important that the EU works constructively with the Syrian authorities in stabilizing, recovering and rebuilding the country”, as well as supporting the management of refugees’ “return processes”.
He also said the EU is “closely monitoring any potential repercussions” in the Western Balkansmentioning the Pact for the Mediterraneanwhich the European Commission will present in April.
This instrument will include migration management measures with European partners in the southern Mediterranean, as well as the implementation of the European Pact for Migration and Asylumwhich will come into force next June.
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