The UK’s Sunak warns that asylum seekers could “overwhelm” parts of Europe

ROME:

British Prime Minister Rishi Sunak said on Saturday he would push for global reforms to the asylum system and warned that the threat of rising refugee numbers could “overwhelm” parts of Europe.

In a speech in Italy, Sunak delivered some of his sharpest criticism of the global asylum system as he tries to revive his government’s plans to send refugees to live in Rwanda.

Sunak made the comments at a political festival organized by his Italian counterpart Giorgia Meloni’s party, where he warned that some “enemies” were deliberately “driving people to our shores to try to destabilize our societies”.

“If we don’t address this problem, the numbers will grow. It will overwhelm our countries and our ability to help those who really need our help the most,” Sunak said.

“If that requires us to update our laws and lead an international debate on modifying the post-war frameworks around asylum, then we must do it.”

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Former British Home Secretary Suella Braverman earlier this year called for changes to the UN Refugee Convention which obliges all signatories to grant asylum to people fleeing persecution.

The provision has been one of the biggest legal obstacles to the British government’s efforts to stop small boat crossings and send would-be asylum seekers to Rwanda for processing.

Britain and Italy announced plans on Saturday to jointly fund the repatriation of migrants stranded in Tunisia, according to statements from both countries, but did not say how much money would be provided.

Last month, Italy agreed with Albania to build reception centers for sea migrants in Albania to accommodate migrants trying to come ashore in a bid to reduce numbers that have almost doubled in the past year.

A few days ago, Sunak survived a major threat to his leadership on Tuesday when he won a vote in parliament on an emergency bill to revive his plan to send asylum seekers to Rwanda, preventing a revolt by some of the lawmakers of.