Two newly established migrant reception centres in Albania officially opened on Friday, ready to receive migrants sent by Italy as part of a unique agreement between the two countries. This initiative is seen as a pioneering solution to the growing challenge of irregular migration to the European Union (EU). The centres, located in the port town of Shengjin and the nearby town of Gjader, were designed to handle migrants arriving in Italy, marking the first time a non-EU country has agreed to take in migrants on behalf of an EU member state.
According to an Italian official, who spoke anonymously, the centres are now fully operational and prepared to welcome the first group of migrants. The arrangement is part of a 2023 agreement aimed at curbing the influx of migrants arriving in Italy from Africa, the Middle East, and beyond.
But how does this system work? Once migrants land in Italy, they are transported by boat to Shengjin in Albania, where their identities will be verified, and their asylum applications processed. From Shengjin, they are taken a short distance to Gjader, a small inland town, where they will be housed while their cases are reviewed.
This migration deal has drawn international interest, particularly from other Western nations grappling with increasing migration numbers. It represents a new approach to controlling migration flows into the EU by utilizing countries outside the bloc.
Although Albania is one of the poorest countries in Europe and still a candidate for EU membership, it has agreed to host up to 3,000 migrants at any one time under this agreement. The deal offers both countries a strategy to manage migration while also addressing Albania’s aspiration for closer ties with the EU.
This innovative arrangement raises a question: Can partnerships like the Italy-Albania deal be a model for other countries? As the pressure to control migration grows, more nations may look to this strategy as a solution.
Albania’s role in this deal reflects a broader trend of migration management that could shape future EU policies.