PRESS RELEASE : UK/Iraq border security pact to target smuggling gangs [November 2024]

The press release issued by the Home Office on 28 November 2024.

Home Secretary signs landmark joint statement with Iraq to tackle people smuggling and organised crime networks operating across the region and in Europe.

A world-first security agreement has been reached between Iraq and the UK government to target people smuggling gangs and strengthen border security co-operation.

The UK will also support Iraq law enforcement to tackle other serious organised crime, including countering narcotics.

Home Secretary Yvette Cooper visited Iraq and the Kurdistan Region of Iraq (KRI) this week to seal a series of co-operation deals, to tackle shared threats and boost the security of its citizens.

The Home Secretary is the first UK government Secretary of State to visit the country since 2021. She was accompanied by the UK government’s Border Security Commander, Martin Hewitt.

During the 3-day official visit, the Home Secretary spoke to ministers from the Federal Government of Iraq and met ministers in the Kurdistan Regional Government.

As part of the programme the Home Secretary:

• signed a joint statement on border security: a first-of-its-kind agreement with Iraq, which sets out the commitments of both countries to work more closely in tackling people smuggling and bolster border security
• committed to providing up to £300,000 for Iraq law enforcement training in border security – the training will focus on organised immigration crime and narcotics, and will increase the capacity and capability of Iraq’s law enforcement at the border
• announced support for further border security projects: the UK government has pledged £200,000 to support projects in the KRI which will enhance capabilities concerning irregular migration and border security, including a new taskforce
• signed a declaration of intent on serious organised crime: pledges from both the UK and Iraq to build on operational and bilateral co-operation on serious organised crime, including organised immigration crime, narcotics, modern slavery and human trafficking, and illicit finance
• support to tackle wider crime: £300,000 will also be allocated to capacity building in Iraq to disrupt serious organised crime, including organised immigration crime and illicit drug flows
• agreed to launch communications campaigns in both Iraq and the KRI to counter the misinformation and myths that people smugglers post online
• signed a joint statement on migration: this includes further work on the returns of people who have no right to be in the UK, where returns are currently very slow, and the continued provision of reintegration programmes to support returnees

Central to the statements agreed today is a commitment from the UK, Iraq and KRI to international and humanitarian law and commitments to international human rights standards.

Today’s announcement represents the biggest operational package to tackle serious organised crime and people smuggling between the 2 countries ever. Smuggling networks operating out of Iraq, including the KRI, and Europe have been responsible for trafficking thousands of people across the globe, including across the Channel to the UK, undermining border security and putting lives at risk.

Home Secretary Yvette Cooper said:

These landmark commitments between the UK government and Iraq and the KRI send a clear signal to the criminal smuggling gangs that we are determined to work across the globe to go after them.

There are smuggler gangs profiting from dangerous small boat crossings whose operations stretch back through northern France, Germany, across Europe, to the Kurdistan Region of Iraq and beyond. Organised criminals operate across borders, so law enforcement needs to operate across borders too.

The increasingly global nature of organised immigration crime means that even countries that are thousands of miles apart must work more closely together than ever to stop these gangs getting away with it, to strengthen our border security and to stop so many lives being put at risk.

Our new Border Security Command is already building partnerships across the world to tackle this evil trade in human lives.

I want to thank my hosts for their hospitality. This is an important new partnership between the UK government, Iraq and the KRI to build security and keep people safe.

The joint statement on border security, signed with Federal Government of Iraq Interior Minister Abdulameer Al-Shimmeri, will build on operational work already being conducted between UK law enforcement, including the National Crime Agency, and Iraq.

It sets out a blueprint for both countries to tackle of people smuggling and wider border security issues and pave the way for deeper collaboration in the future. It will include new formal processes for regular engagement.

The statement is backed up by a wider declaration of intent to tackle serious organised crime, which incorporates organised immigration crime, as well as other high harm crimes including drug smuggling, modern slavery and illicit finance. The Home Secretary and representatives in the country also reiterated their drive to continue to work together to counter terrorism.

Some £300,000 from the UK Integrated Security Fund will be spent on training at the border to counter organised immigration crime and narcotics.

On returns, the UK and Iraq have reaffirmed their commitment to enhance co-operation to ensure those who have no right to be in the UK can be returned swiftly, while the UK government will continue to respect international law and protect human rights.

On deterrence communications, the planned campaign will seek to counter disinformation spread by criminal gangs and stop people making the dangerous journey, including telling the real stories of people who have fallen victim to people smuggling gangs.

During the visit, the Home Secretary met with the Federal Government of Iraq Minister of Interior Abdulameer Al-Shimmeri, Prime Minister Mohammed Shia’ Al Sudanl, Foreign Minister Fuad Hussein and Chief Justice Faik Zidan.

In the Kurdistan Region of Iraq, the Home Secretary met with Kurdistan Region President Nechirvan Barzani, Prime Minister Masrour Barzani, Deputy Prime Minister Qubad Talabani and the Interior Minister Rebar Ahmed.

Mr Hewitt met with KRG Director General of the Diwan at the Ministry of Interior, Dr Hemin Mirany.

Border Security Commander Martin Hewitt said:

Enhancing our border security requires international efforts, which is why collaboration with Iraq and the KRI is so important. This work is only going to improve, which means smuggling networks should be on notice that we are coming after you.

As Border Security Commander I will work with law enforcement around the world to break the business model of people smugglers and help save lives.

This international collaboration marks a shift in the UK government’s approach to tackling irregular migration. Through the Border Security Command, the UK are working on a whole system approach to tackling irregular migration, including arming UK law enforcement with the powers it needs, working bilaterally on cross border co-operation and ensuring law enforcement across borders are joined up.

Next month, the UK government will co-host the Calais Group with Germany, in London. The interior ministers of the hosts will be joined by their counterparts from France, Belgium, and the Netherlands, as well as law enforcement, including NCA, Europol and Frontex.

Since July, the new government has:

• started recruitment of 100 more specialist intelligence officers to work across Europe and delivered a 50% uplift in UK officers at Europol
• announced an anti-smuggling action plan signed with other G7 nations
• hosted the European Political Community summit at Blenheim Palace
• announced new agreements with Serbia, North Macedonia and Kosovo to tackle people smuggling through the Balkan states
• pushed forward a suite of measures to tackle organised immigration crime as part of the Interpol General Assembly in Glasgow
• returned 9,400 people since 5 July who have no right to be in the UK, including the 3 biggest returns flights in the UK’s history