New UK-Iraq agreement to deter small boat arrivals

LONDON, Aug 20 (KUNA) -- The UK Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office said Wednesday that it had signed a new agreement with Iraq to formalize rapid returns of people without legal status in the UK.
Signed during a two-day visit by Iraq's deputy foreign minister, who chairs the Higher Returns Committee, and UK Security Minister Dan Jarvis, the deal aims to deter small boat crossings, support broader efforts to restore order to the asylum system, and recognize Iraq's role in reintegrating returnees.
Meanwhile, Minister for the Middle East, Afghanistan and Pakistan Hamish Falconer said, "The UK-Iraq relationship has entered a new era - going from strength to strength across a number of areas, including driving economic growth and ensuring regional stability." He pledged to "use innovative foreign policy approaches to secure Britain's borders and support development through partnerships." On his part, Security Minister Dan Jarvis said the visit underscored the resilience of the UK-Iraq partnership and the government's commitment to results-driven diplomacy, adding that joint work targets security, development and migration challenges such as organized crime and irregular migration.
The visit highlighted opportunities to expand economic cooperation and reiterated UK backing for Iraq's stability and development, including support for infrastructure projects via a trade package of about GBP 12.3 billion (around USD 16.58 billion) announced during Iraq Prime Minister Mohammad Al-Sudani's visit to London in January.
Both sides also agreed on the need to de-escalate regional tensions and return to diplomacy to bolster Middle East security.
Officials said the enhanced cooperation builds on commitments earlier this year by UK Prime Minister Keir Starmer and his Iraqi counterpart to deepen migration collaboration, and on agreements signed last year by the Home Secretary with Iraq on border security and serious organized crime.
These partnerships allocated GBP 800,000 pounds (about USD 1.078 million) for law enforcement training, border-security projects and capacity-building to counter human trafficking, organized migration crime and drug flows.
Joint efforts have coincided with a sharp drop in the number of Iraqis arriving in the UK by small boats to 1,900 in the year to March 2025, from 2,600 the previous year - reflecting early effectiveness and a comprehensive approach to tackling illegal migration at its source through diplomatic engagement. (end) nbs.lr