Emmanuel Macron and Rishi Sunak will meet to discuss illegal Channel crossings, a growing point of contention between Paris and London – Photo: Stefan Rousseau/Pool via Reuters

French President Emmanuel Macron will meet with British Prime Minister Rishi Sunak for a bilateral summit in Paris today.

The summit aims to deepen cooperation after tensions stemming from the crossing of small migrant boats across the English Channel. Britain faults France for not halting the crossings, while France criticized the UK’s decision to close most legal routes for asylum seekers.

In November 2022, Britain agreed to pay France $74.5 million with the intent of deploying people to identify and intercept migrant boat crossings. Macron and Sunak are now working on a new deal to reduce crossings. The deal would include multi-year financing to enhance the planning of human resources, infrastructure and equipment. However, concerns remain that additional money will only make a marginal difference, and the UK is more interested in a returns agreement.

Sunak’s government recently unveiled contentious plans to halt migrant crossings. Under the draft law, anyone deported after attempting to cross from France via the Channel would be banned from ever re-entering the UK. Sunak, who is trailing in the polls, is likely taking a stricter stance so as to garner right-wing support. However, it is uncertain if he will succeed given the strong opposition he faces from rights groups and opposition parties.