The Impact of Illegal Migration on Relations between Countries of the Western Mediterranean Region

Abstract

The study examined the impact of illegal immigration on political and security relations between the countries of the Western Mediterranean region, particularly between the countries of the northern shore (Spain, France, Italy, Portugal, Greece) and the countries of the southern shore (Libya, Morocco, Algeria, Tunisia, Morocco, Mauritania). We find that the political effects have been used by some countries as a Political pressure card, especially during times of bilateral tensions. Relations between the countries have witnessed periods of tension due to migrationrelated events such as the flow of migrants across borders, terrorism, and drugs. We find that cooperation policies have developed joint initiatives such as the 5+5 Dialogue process and European Union programs to support border control. However, the imbalance of responsibilities remains an obstacle, and there are growing calls for a comprehensive comparison that addresses the roots of migration, such as poverty and unemployment in the countries.