The United Kingdom has hosted its first global summit against illegal migration, bringing together over 40 country and organization representatives to combat people smuggling and strengthen border controls.
Taking place on Monday, the summit was about dismantling networks of smugglers that facilitate illegal migration between Europe, Asia, the Middle East, Africa, and North America. The UK Home Office characterized the meeting as a highlight in the world effort to end human trafficking with the main area of concern focusing on small boat smuggling, online recruitment, and organized financial crime.
Among the focal points of the debates were social media giants X, Meta, and TikTok, considering how to halt online advertising of illegal migration.
UK Home Secretary Yvette Cooper stated that there was a need for international cooperation in breaking up smuggling networks.
“Trafficking gangs and smugglers make their living crossing borders, so law enforcement has to cooperate across borders to dismantle them,” Cooper said. “Only an international effort, right along the whole irregular migration path, can effectively close down these networks.”
The UK government has pledged £30 million for high-impact action in severing supply routes and supply lines used by people-trafficking networks and an additional £3 million to enhance the Crown Prosecution Service’s ability to prosecute foreign-based smugglers.
Prime Minister Sir Keir Starmer remembered how a more coordinated, global approach would be much more effective by recalling his experience as Director of Public Prosecutions.
This filthy trade exploits the weaknesses between our institutions, turns nations against each other, and becomes wealthy out of our failure at the political level to unite,” Starmer said.
He highlighted previous achievements in international cooperation, stating, “When I was Director of Public Prosecutions, we collaborated across frontiers across Europe and beyond to prevent dozens of plots, saving thousands of lives. We prevented planes being blown out of the sky over the Atlantic and brought those responsible to justice.”
The summit is a significant step in the UK’s campaign against illegal migration and dismantling of criminal networks operating across multiple continents.
