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LONDON: The UK on Monday launched a brand new international social media marketing campaign, aimed toward Vietnam specifically, to discourage migrants from making an attempt to cross the Channel from northern France on small boats.
It comes as statistics confirmed the variety of arrivals utilizing the hazardous and extremely contentious route up by 15 p.c to date this 12 months in comparison with the identical interval in 2023.
An rising proportion of “small boat” arrivals hail from Vietnam, with the southeast Asian nation among the many prime 10 nationalities for migrants crossing the Channel, in accordance with the UK inside ministry.
Prime Minister Rishi Sunak has made “stopping the boats” certainly one of his prime priorities, and claimed to be succeeding once they fell by round a 3rd final 12 months.
A reversal on that would show politically perilous for the Conservative chief forward of a basic election anticipated later this 12 months.
The brand new on-line adverts, which characteristic actual testimonies from those that have beforehand made the damaging journeys, are being posted on Fb and YouTube to focus on Vietnamese migrants.
“The social media posts emphasise the results of travelling to the UK illegally, risks folks can anticipate to face, and set out the dangers of being indebted to and exploited by the folks smuggling gangs,” the inside ministry mentioned.
In addition they warn potential migrants of “the truth” of dwelling in Britain “with no proper to be within the UK and no entry to public companies or funding”.
It follows the same marketing campaign final 12 months focusing on migrants from Albania, which contributed to a 90-percent discount in arrivals from the Balkan nation, the ministry mentioned.
Sunak’s authorities can also be persevering with controversial proposals to discourage cross-Channel small boat journeys by making an attempt to deport some asylum seekers to Rwanda.
The UK Supreme Courtroom had blocked the plan over security fears, however Sunak has launched proposals to declare Rwanda “protected” and agreed a brand new treaty with the east African nation to kickstart deportations. Flights might take off inside months if lawmakers approve the draft regulation.
Official figures present 4,244 folks have made the Channel crossing to date this 12 months in 2024. That compares to three,683 in the identical 12-week interval final 12 months. — AFP
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