Britain and France will sign a joint declaration on Monday to ramp up their efforts to stop illegal migrants from making perilous journeys across the Channel.
French interior minister Gerald Darmanin will host his British counterpart Suella Braverman in Paris early on Monday morning to sign an agreement, according to a media invitation issued by France’s Interior Ministry.
A French official confirmed a deal would be agreed on Monday, but declined to give further details.
British newspapers reported on Sunday that the two countries were on the verge of striking an accord.
The number of migrants making the perilous crossing of the English Channel in makeshift boats to reach the United Kingdom has hit a new record high mark on Sunday — more than 40,000 — according to the British Ministry of Defence.
More than half are said to come from Albania, Afghanistan and Iran.
The agreement will significantly increase the number of French officers and volunteers who operate on the Channel’s beaches, while France will aim to prevent a “much higher” proportion of migrants from leaving its shores, according to the Telegraph newspaper.
London wants to secure France’s help in stopping migrants from making the perilous crossing across the waterway. Critics have said the UK should instead open up more legal routes for people to come to the country.
The Telegraph said France will agree to a joint control centre where British immigration officials will be stationed.
On Friday, British foreign minister James Cleverly and his French counterpart Catherine Colonna issued a statement stressing the “urgency of tackling all forms of illegal migration.”
British officials have previously said a deal is close.
The record-breaking numbers of migrants trying to enter the UK illegally has put pressure on the new British Prime Minister to find an effective solution.
In recent weeks, UK officials have come under fire for overcrowding and poor conditions at asylum processing centres, with one facility in Manston being firebombed by an extremist at the end of October.
The government is also grappling with a shortage of emergency accommodation, a clogged asylum system and spiralling costs to the taxpayer.
Another British newspaper, the Express, said a deal between Paris and London could be signed next week.
It was likely to include more British drones to detect migrants hiding in sand dunes before they attempt the dangerous crossings often in flimsy dinghies.
In November 2021, an inflatable dingy carrying migrants from France to the UK capsized in the Channel, causing the deaths of 27 of the 30 people on board.
Relations between Britain and France have improved since Sunak took office last month.
Things had soured this year after Liz Truss questioned whether French President Emmanuel Macron was a friend or foe during her campaign to become prime minister.
