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WORLD NEWS Thursday 26 sepTember 2024
The EU is failing to dissuade African migrants despite spending

billions, auditors say

By LORNE COOK points for people desperate
Associated Press to try to cross the Mediter-
BRUSSELS (AP) — The Euro- ranean Sea to Europe was
pean Union is failing develop also a point of focus in the
ways to dissuade migrants report.
from Africa leaving for Eu- A U.N.-appointed investi-
rope without authorization gator has said that EU as-
and could do more to limit sistance to Libya’s migra-
abuses against people trying tion department and coast
to make the journey, the EU’s guard “has aided and abet-
financial watchdog warned ted the commission of the
on Wednesday. crimes,” including crimes
The findings come in a Eu- against humanity. The com-
ropean Court of Auditors mission rejects the allega-
report into the bloc’s Emer- tion.
gency Trust Fund for Africa, The auditors warned of flaws
a multi-billion-euro program involving the use of funds
hastily set up in 2015 after and equipment meant to im-
more than 1 million migrants prove maritime surveillance
arrived on Europe’s shores, and reduce deaths at sea
many of them fleeing war in in Libya. The International
Syria, overwhelming services Organization for Migration
in Italy and Greece. estimates that around 30,000
It was meant to help tackle Senegalese youth gather around pirogues on the beach at dusk in Fass Boye, Senegal, Aug. 29, people have died or gone
the root causes of migration 2023. missing trying to cross the
in Africa, like poverty, con- Associated Press Mediterranean since 2014.
flict or unemployment. At … the commission is still un- needed in specific areas allegations of violations of The report said EU-funded
first, 1.8 billion euros ($2 bil- able to identify and report and specific countries.” human rights.” “equipment could be used
lion) was available to distrib- the most efficient and effec- She also said that “human The auditors were aware of by actors other than the
ute on hundreds of projects, tive approaches to reducing rights risks have not been 10 officers who reported pos- intended beneficiaries,”
but that amount has swelled irregular migration,” lead EU properly addressed by the sible rights abuses in different or that Libyan staff trained
to about 5 billion euros ($5.6 auditor on the investigation commission, and that there parts of Africa, but the com- by Europeans “may not be
billion) today. Bettina Jakobsen told report- are weaknesses in the ac- mission only had a record of committed to the do-no-
The fund is managed by ers. curacy and sustainability one allegation. The auditors harm principle.” Beneficia-
the EU’s powerful executive Jakobsen said that the com- of the reported results.” In could not establish whether ries of the funds might also
branch, the European Com- mission should “target the addition, Brussels “lacked that case was followed up. refuse to allow monitors to
mission. aid more thoroughly into adequate procedures for The use of the fund in Libya check how they use the

“Despite the lessons learned what is actually urgent and recording and follow up of one of the main jumping off money. q

U.S. to hand over pest inspections of Mexican avocados to Mexico

and California growers aren’t happy

MEXICO CITY (AP) — Cali- “This action reverses the of others to game the sys- problems in exports.” choacan, where growers
fornia avocado growers long-established inspec- tem,” the avocado com- The idea that there have are routinely subject to ex-
are fuming this week about tion process designed to mission wrote. been no problems is far tortion by drug cartels. Only
a U.S. decision to hand prevent invasions of known “What assurances can from the truth. the states of Michoacan
over pest inspections of pests in Mexico that would APHIS provide us that its In 2022, inspections were and Jalisco are certified
Mexican orchards to the devastate our industry,” the unilateral reversal of the halted after one of the U.S. to export avocados to the
Mexican government. California Avocado Com- process will be equal to or inspectors was threatened United States.q
Inspectors hired by the U.S. mission wrote in an open better than what has pro- in the western state of Mi-
Department of Agricul- letter to U.S. Secretary of tected us?”
ture have been guarding Agriculture Tom Vilsack on The letter added, “We are
against imports of avoca- Monday. looking for specifics as to
dos infected with insects At present, inspectors work why you have concluded
and diseases since 1997, for the U.S. Department of that substituting APHIS in-
but they have also been Agriculture’s Animal and spectors with Mexican gov-
threatened in Mexico for Plant Health Inspection ernment inspectors is in our
refusing to certify decep- Service, known as APHIS. best interest.”
tive shipments in recent Because the United States The decision was an-
years. also grows avocados, U.S. nounced last week in a
Threats and violence inspectors observe or- short statement by Mex-
against inspectors have chards and packing hous- ico’s Agriculture Depart-
caused the U.S. to suspend es in Mexico to ensure ex- ment, which claimed that
inspections in the past, and ported avocados don’t “with this agreement, the
California growers ques- carry pests that could hurt U.S. health safety agency
tion whether Mexico’s own U.S. crops. is recognizing the commit-
inspectors would be bet- “It is well known that their ment of Mexican growers, A worker packs avocados at a plant in Uruapan, Michoacan
state, Mexico, Feb. 9, 2024.
ter equipped to withstand physical presence greatly who in more than 27 years Associated Press
such pressure. reduces the opportunity have not had any sanitary