Recently, we heard from Mireia Faro Sarrats, and we had a fascinating discussion about Europe’s externalisation of its refugees, and the UK’s recently passed Rwanda Bill. Under this bill any asylum seeker entering the UK ‘illegally’, from a ‘safe’ country, such as France, could be sent to Rwanda to have their asylum claims processed there rather than in the UK. If these claims were successful, they could be granted refugee status and allowed to stay in Rwanda. If not, they could apply to settle in Rwanda on other grounds or seek asylum in another safe third country. Today, we are thrilled to be able to continue the discussions surrounding this controversial bill with Tarek Megerisi
Tarek Megerisi is a senior policy fellow with the Middle East and North Africa programme at the European Council on Foreign Relations. His work mainly addresses how European policymaking towards the Maghreb and Mediterranean regions can become more strategic, harmonious, and incisive – with a long-term focus on Libya.