France: The French President Mr. Emmanuel Macron and United Kingdom Prime Minister Mr. Rishi Sunak have agreed on a multiyear financial package to stop migration across the Channel, days after the UK passed a bill barring unauthorised arrivals.

According to the deal, the UK will help fund a detention centre in France while French authorities will deploy a new dedicated permanent policing unit and enhanced technology to patrol the country’s beaches, including drones and aircraft.

The UK stated that it would contribute roughly $581 million over the next three years to help pay for the new measures, adding that it expected France to contribute “significantly more funding.” France did not provide any cost estimates.

The agreement also involves doubling the number of personnel deployed to northern France to tackle small-boat crossings, half of whom will be in place by the end of 2023. In addition, the deal includes a new 24-hour zonal coordination centre with permanent British liaison officers in order to bring all relevant French authorities together to coordinate the response.

Officers from both countries will also look to work with countries along the routes preferred by people traffickers.

Both leaders stated at a news conference after meeting in Paris that the two sides had agreed to work more closely together.

“It is time for a new start,” Mr. Macron noted.

Mr. Sunak remarked that the two countries shared “the same beliefs” and had “taken cooperation to an unprecedented level.”

“Criminal gangs should not get to decide who comes to our country. Within weeks of my coming into office, we agreed on our largest ever small boat deal, and today we’ve taken our cooperation to an unprecedented level to tackle this shared challenge,” the UK PM added.

The two leaders further discussed cooperation on defence, as well as the joint training of Ukrainian troops.

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