Latest news with #SeaEye
CNN
26-06-2025
- Politics
- CNN
Germany scraps funding for sea rescues of migrants
Germany is cutting financial support for charities that rescue migrants at risk of drowning in the Mediterranean, saying it will redirect resources to addressing conditions in source countries that spur people to leave. For decades, migrants driven by war and poverty have made perilous crossings to reach Europe's southern borders, with thousands estimated to die every year in their bid to reach a continent grown increasingly hostile to migration. 'Germany is committed to being humane and will help where people suffer but I don't think it's the foreign office's job to finance this kind of sea rescue,' Foreign Minister Johann Wadephul told a news conference. 'We need to be active where the need is greatest,' he added, mentioning the humanitarian emergency in war-shattered Sudan. Under the previous left-leaning government, Germany began paying around 2 million euros ($2.34 million) annually to non-governmental organizations carrying out rescues of migrant-laden boats in trouble at sea. For them, it has been a key source of funds: Germany's Sea-Eye, which said rescue charities have saved 175,000 lives since 2015, received around 10% of its total income of around 3.2 million euros from the German government. Chancellor Friedrich Merz's conservatives won February's national election after a campaign promising to curb irregular migration, which some voters in Europe's largest economy see as being out of control. Even though the overall numbers have been falling for several years, many Germans blame migration-related fears for the rise of the far-right Alternative for Germany (AfD), now the second largest party in parliament. Many experts say that migration levels are mainly driven by economic and humanitarian emergencies in the source countries, with the official cold shoulder in destination countries having had little impact in deterring migrants. Despite this, German officials suggest that sea rescues only incentivize people to risk the sometimes deadly crossings. 'The (government) support made possible extra missions and very concretely saved lives,' said Gorden Isler, Sea-Eye's chairperson. 'We might now have to stay in harbor despite emergencies.' The opposition Greens, who controlled the foreign office when the subsidies were introduced, criticized the move. 'This will exacerbate the humanitarian crisis and deepen human suffering,' said joint floor leader Britta Hasselmann.
CNN
26-06-2025
- Politics
- CNN
Germany scraps funding for sea rescues of migrants
Germany is cutting financial support for charities that rescue migrants at risk of drowning in the Mediterranean, saying it will redirect resources to addressing conditions in source countries that spur people to leave. For decades, migrants driven by war and poverty have made perilous crossings to reach Europe's southern borders, with thousands estimated to die every year in their bid to reach a continent grown increasingly hostile to migration. 'Germany is committed to being humane and will help where people suffer but I don't think it's the foreign office's job to finance this kind of sea rescue,' Foreign Minister Johann Wadephul told a news conference. 'We need to be active where the need is greatest,' he added, mentioning the humanitarian emergency in war-shattered Sudan. Under the previous left-leaning government, Germany began paying around 2 million euros ($2.34 million) annually to non-governmental organizations carrying out rescues of migrant-laden boats in trouble at sea. For them, it has been a key source of funds: Germany's Sea-Eye, which said rescue charities have saved 175,000 lives since 2015, received around 10% of its total income of around 3.2 million euros from the German government. Chancellor Friedrich Merz's conservatives won February's national election after a campaign promising to curb irregular migration, which some voters in Europe's largest economy see as being out of control. Even though the overall numbers have been falling for several years, many Germans blame migration-related fears for the rise of the far-right Alternative for Germany (AfD), now the second largest party in parliament. Many experts say that migration levels are mainly driven by economic and humanitarian emergencies in the source countries, with the official cold shoulder in destination countries having had little impact in deterring migrants. Despite this, German officials suggest that sea rescues only incentivize people to risk the sometimes deadly crossings. 'The (government) support made possible extra missions and very concretely saved lives,' said Gorden Isler, Sea-Eye's chairperson. 'We might now have to stay in harbor despite emergencies.' The opposition Greens, who controlled the foreign office when the subsidies were introduced, criticized the move. 'This will exacerbate the humanitarian crisis and deepen human suffering,' said joint floor leader Britta Hasselmann.
Arab News
26-06-2025
- Politics
- Arab News
Germany scraps funding for sea rescues of migrants
'I don't think it's the foreign office's job to finance this kind of sea rescue,' Wadephul said'We need to be active where the need is greatest'BERLIN: Germany is cutting financial support for charities that rescue migrants at risk of drowning in the Mediterranean, saying it will redirect resources to addressing conditions in source countries that spur people to decades, migrants driven by war and poverty have made perilous crossings to reach Europe's southern borders, with thousands estimated to die every year in their bid to reach a continent grown increasingly hostile to migration.'Germany is committed to being humane and will help where people suffer but I don't think it's the foreign office's job to finance this kind of sea rescue,' Foreign Minister Johann Wadephul told a news conference.'We need to be active where the need is greatest,' he added, mentioning the humanitarian emergency in war-shattered the previous left-leaning government, Germany began paying around 2 million euros ($2.34 million) annually to non-governmental organizations carrying out rescues of migrant-laden boats in trouble at them, it has been a key source of funds: Germany's Sea-Eye, which said rescue charities have saved 175,000 lives since 2015, received around 10 percent of its total income of around 3.2 million euros from the German Friedrich Merz's conservatives won February's national election after a campaign promising to curb irregular migration, which some voters in Europe's largest economy see as being out of though the overall numbers have been falling for several years, many Germans blame migration-related fears for the rise of the far-right Alternative for Germany (AfD), now the second largest party in experts say that migration levels are mainly driven by economic and humanitarian emergencies in the source countries, with the official cold shoulder in destination countries having had little impact in deterring this, German officials suggest that sea rescues only incentivise people to risk the sometimes deadly crossings.'The (government) support made possible extra missions and very concretely saved lives,' said Gorden Isler, Sea-Eye's chairperson. 'We might now have to stay in harbor despite emergencies.'The opposition Greens, who controlled the foreign office when the subsidies were introduced, criticized the move.'This will exacerbate the humanitarian crisis and deepen human suffering,' said joint floor leader Britta Hasselmann.
Reuters
26-06-2025
- Politics
- Reuters
Germany scraps funding for sea rescues of migrants
BERLIN, June 26 (Reuters) - Germany is cutting financial support for charities that rescue migrants at risk of drowning in the Mediterranean, saying it will redirect resources to addressing conditions in source countries that spur people to leave. For decades, migrants driven by war and poverty have made perilous crossings to reach Europe's southern borders, with thousands estimated to die every year in their bid to reach a continent grown increasingly hostile to migration. "Germany is committed to being humane and will help where people suffer but I don't think it's the foreign office's job to finance this kind of sea rescue," Foreign Minister Johann Wadephul told a news conference. "We need to be active where the need is greatest," he added, mentioning the humanitarian emergency in war-shattered Sudan. Under the previous left-leaning government, Germany began paying around 2 million euros ($2.34 million) annually to non-governmental organisations carrying out rescues of migrant-laden boats in trouble at sea. For them, it has been a key source of funds: Germany's Sea-Eye, which said rescue charities have saved 175,000 lives since 2015, received around 10% of its total income of around 3.2 million euros from the German government. Chancellor Friedrich Merz's conservatives won February's national election after a campaign promising to curb irregular migration, which some voters in Europe's largest economy see as being out of control. Even though the overall numbers have been falling for several years, many Germans blame migration-related fears for the rise of the far-right Alternative for Germany (AfD), now the second largest party in parliament. Many experts say that migration levels are mainly driven by economic and humanitarian emergencies in the source countries, with the official cold shoulder in destination countries having had little impact in deterring migrants. Despite this, German officials suggest that sea rescues only incentivise people to risk the sometimes deadly crossings. "The (government) support made possible extra missions and very concretely saved lives," said Gorden Isler, Sea-Eye's chairperson. "We might now have to stay in harbour despite emergencies." The opposition Greens, who controlled the foreign office when the subsidies were introduced, criticised the move. "This will exacerbate the humanitarian crisis and deepen human suffering," said joint floor leader Britta Hasselmann. ($1 = 0.8547 euros)
The National
26-06-2025
- Politics
- The National
Germany to stop funding migrant rescue ships in Mediterranean
The German government is to cut funding for groups that rescue migrants in distress when they cross the Mediterranean Sea. New budget plans by Finance Minister Lars Klingbeil do not include money for migrant rescue, Germany's Foreign Ministry has said. The German government had been giving about €2 million ($2.34 million) a year to the cause, with almost €900,000 going to groups such as Sea-Eye, SOS Humanity and Sant'Egidio, according to TV news channel Deutsche Welle (DW). Sea-Eye hit back at the decision, fearing that without financing, it may no longer be able to operate. "We're filling a gap in the Mediterranean that should have been closed by European states, including Germany," the group's chairman Gorden Isler told DW. The Mediterranean is one of the most dangerous migrant routes in the world, with more 32,000 people reported missing there since 2014, according to the Missing Migrants Project (MMP). The deadliest year for migrants on record was 2024, with nearly 9,000 killed worldwide, more than 2,450 of those in the Mediterranean. Almost 750 people have died or are missing after attempting to cross the sea so far this year. Newly elected German Chancellor Friedrich Merz has long contested funding sea rescue operations and Foreign Minister Johann Wadephul claimed while in opposition that "sea rescue organisations were de facto collaborating with smuggling groups and promoting irregular migration to Europe". Opposition politician Jamila Schafer, of the Greens, said cutting funding would make the routes even deadlier without reducing migration. "We pay for a fire service to save lives on land," she told German news agency DPA. "We should also not let people drown in the sea." Italy's right-wing, populist government passed a law in February 2023 to clampdown on migrant rescue operations. That year, the number of migrant deaths and missing persons peaked at 3,155, the highest since 2014, MMP data showed.
