In recent years, Malta has become a significant transit point for refugees and illegal immigrants. However, according to the latest data, there has been a rare and substantial decrease in the arrival of this group in Malta in 2023, reflecting some effectiveness of the EU in curbing the tide of illegal immigration.
According to statistics from the United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees (UNHCR), by the end of 2023, only 102 illegal immigrants had arrived in Malta by sea, primarily from Syria and Pakistan. In contrast, the figure for the same period in 2022 was 380, mainly from economically troubled Bangladesh. More notably, the number of illegal immigrants arriving in Malta in 2023 starkly contrasts with the figures from 2019 and 2020, which saw 3,406 immigrants enter Malta in 2019 and 2,281 in 2020. This significant reduction in numbers is attributed to a series of major measures implemented by the Maltese government to curb illegal immigration.
The Maltese Ambassador for Immigration Affairs pointed out that an agreement signed between Malta and Libya four years ago laid the groundwork for intercepting illegal immigration flows. This agreement focused on enhancing the fight against human trafficking activities and established two coordination centers in Libya and Malta. Data shows that in 2023, the number of illegal immigrants leaving Malta actually exceeded the number arriving. Specifically, of the 380 illegal immigrants rescued in 2023, 315 were repatriated to their home countries, while another 159 were relocated to other EU member states.
This rare trend of population outflow not only reflects Malta’s determination to combat illegal immigration but also highlights the EU’s overall trend towards stricter border control policies. For years, Mediterranean coastal countries have been the preferred destinations for illegal immigrants, and the large influx has placed immense pressure on local societies and economies, becoming a trigger for the European refugee crisis. In the face of such a situation, the EU undoubtedly needs to urgently place the issue of illegal immigration under more effective control.
In fact, the EU has not been inactive. Since 2022, the EU has launched a series of new initiatives to curb illegal immigration, including reassessing border control measures among member states and improving immigration rescue and repatriation policies. The unusual “negative growth” in Malta’s 2023 data reflects the initial effectiveness of these new EU regulations in implementation. Analysts point out that by strengthening the crackdown on illegal immigration networks, increasing repatriation efforts, and enhancing rescue operations, EU coastal countries in the Mediterranean region are moving toward the goal of controlling immigration flows. Of course, addressing the root causes of illegal immigration requires alleviating the economic and social issues in the immigrants’ home countries. However, from a practical perspective, only with simultaneous effective border control can the immigration crisis be mitigated. Thus, the changes in Malta’s 2023 data also reflect the EU’s determination in this regard.
Overall, while this set of encouraging data cannot yet be seen as a long-term trend, it at least conveys a positive signal: the EU is making every effort to curb the tide of illegal immigration, and the situation in the Mediterranean coastal countries is likely to improve further in the future. This would be a welcome turning point for the entire European continent.
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