UNHCR to Monitor Italy-Albania Migration Agreement

The UN Refugee Agency (UNHCR) will monitor the initial three months of a controversial agreement between Italy and Albania that allows Italy to process asylum requests for migrants at Albanian detention centers. While not a party to the agreement, the UNHCR aims to protect the rights of migrants and ensure compliance with international law, despite expressing serious concerns about the deal. The protocol, which has faced criticism from human rights organizations, permits Albania to house up to 3,000 male migrants at a time while Italy expedites their asylum claims. The deal has been framed by Italy's government as a means of burden-sharing within Europe and a deterrent for potential asylum seekers, gaining endorsement from the European Commission. However, human rights advocates argue that it represents an outsourcing of Italy's legal responsibilities. The UNHCR's monitoring will be independently funded to maintain impartiality.