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A European drone base in Algeria or Morocco. Reality or intox? (shift)

A Scout surveillance drone (credit: Airbus DS)
A Scout surveillance drone (credit: Airbus DS)

(BRUSSELS2) According to the Algerian press, which relays information from the New China agency, citing an Algerian diplomatic source, taken up without any verification by the Huffington Post (Le Monde group), Algeria would have refused a request from the European Union (EU) to host a base for drones intended to fight against illegal migration in the Mediterranean Sea ". Phew! as one would say in Liège... According to this same source, the European Union wanted " set up a base for drones in the coastal city Aïn Temouchent, located 504 km west of Algiers ". The information is developed in the same direction in neighboring Morocco. History without doubt not to be outdone. According to the Arabic-language daily Al Massae, as reported by the site le360.ma, who are " the European Union led by Spain, Italy and France have proposed to Morocco the construction of a drone base on its soilL ". Goal : " block the road to illegal immigrants arriving on European soil, but (...) also serve to track down drug traffickers ". In the current context, is the information justified or even probable?

Assuming that such a request existed, it does not really concern the military operation in the Mediterranean. Because you have to look at a map: Aïn temouchent is located near Oran facing Almeria in Spain. We are closer to Morocco than to Libya. And we are very, very far from the EUNAVFOR operation whose area of ​​operation should more or less cover the Italian rescue and relief area as well as the Libyan area (if the UN authorizes it).

Second, the EU does not have drones per se. These are those that would be made available by the Member States. And this capacity is to say the least sparingly counted, at least when we talk about long endurance drones (MALE) which can be useful in maritime surveillance (*). It is only necessary to observe the French difficulties during the military operation in Mali or in Niger. From an operational point of view, given the distance, one might wonder whether it would not be easier to set up a drone base in neighboring Spain than to start negotiating an agreement to set up this base in a foreign country.

Finally, an EU operation is not set up that way. We need an agreement from the 28 member states, the 28 ambassadors of the PSC. And until further notice, according to our information, such a plan has not been mentioned in these forums. Ditto on the side of the military structures of the EEAS...

On the side of the European Commission, we deny such a project but in a rather unclear way to tell the truth. " The Commission is not aware of requests to Maghreb countries to build a base for drones that will be used to monitor boats carrying migrants and goods” I was assured (**). “The Commission has no such plans »

At the Frontex agency, we are firmer and clearer: " Frontex has no operations in Algeria. And Frontex does not use drones in its operations assured one of his spokespersons at my request.

Comments : in this information, it is necessary to dissect the true from the false. Tunisia, Morocco and Algeria are among the countries with which the Europeans want to have reinforced cooperation in terms of migration but also terrorism. And "terrorism" or "migration" attachés will soon come to support the EU delegations (embassies) in the countries concerned. That these countries have been approached by European diplomats to seek its cooperation in the fight against terrorism is certain; just like the fight against immigration. That these countries have also been approached by Member States, in particular Spain, for example, to track down the networks of migrants (and especially drugs), it is likely. That discussions were carried out at a certain political level, no doubt. From there, to ask for the establishment of a drone base, there is a step that Europe does not seem ready to cross.

(Nicolas Gros-Verheyde)

(*) we are talking here about observation drones and not armed drones.

(**) written answer to my question

(Update) clarification from the Frontex agency

Nicolas Gros Verheyde

Chief editor of the B2 site. Graduated in European law from the University of Paris I Pantheon Sorbonne and listener to the 65th session of the IHEDN (Institut des Hautes Etudes de la Défense Nationale. Journalist since 1989, founded B2 - Bruxelles2 in 2008. EU/NATO correspondent in Brussels for Sud-Ouest (previously West-France and France-Soir).

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