Holding Its Tongue on Democracy, EU Presses Arab Leaders to Stem Migration First-of-its-kind summit focused on curbing migrants, not on human rights By Jared Malsin
https://www.wsj.com/articles/holding-its-tongue-on-democracy-eu-presses-arab-leaders-to-stem-migration-11551121873?cx_testId=16&cx_testVariant=cx&cx_artPos=4&cx_tag=contextual&cx_navSource=newsReel#cxrecs_s
SHARM EL SHEIKH, Egypt—European Union officials used a first-of-its-kind summit here this week to press Arab leaders to create stability and stem migration but played down calls for democracy, reflecting a desire for calm after years of border tumult.
The two-day meeting between the EU and the Arab League ended Monday without a formal agreement on migration or security cooperation. The assembled leaders issued a declaration that calls for unspecified efforts to address issues ranging from climate change to wars in Yemen, Libya and Syria.
But the gathering in this Red Sea resort town reflected European leaders’ desire to seek new partners to halt to migration across the Mediterranean Sea following years of war and an influx of refugees after the Arab Spring revolts of 2011.
EU leaders such as European Council President Donald Tusk gathered with autocrats the bloc once shunned, including Egyptian President Abdel Fattah Al Sisi, and asked for help. EU leaders have in the past loudly called out leaders like Mr. Sisi for brutal crackdowns on political opponents, including torture and killings of civilians.
But Mr. Sisi and other leaders here have reasserted their hold on power after the tumult of 2011 uprisings.
Arab leaders spoke of a desire for closer cooperation with Europe, stressing the fight against terrorism.
Mr. Sisi rejected criticism of his government’s human-rights record. “The priority in European nations is to give people prosperity. Our priority here is to preserve our nations and prevent them from collapsing or falling into ruin,” he said.
More than 2.5 million migrants arrived in Europe in 2015 and 2016, many of them fleeing wars in Syria, Iraq and Afghanistan. Facing pressure from the rise of populism and anti-immigrant sentiment at home, the EU has since joined with Turkey, Libya and other countries to try to stop migrants from attempting the journey to Europe, contributing to a sharp drop in arrivals. CONTINUE AT SITE
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