Türkiye, UK pledge closer cooperation against illegal migration

ANKARA

Türkiye and the United Kingdom have pledged to deepen cooperation in combating cross-border crime, including terrorism, terrorist financing, organized crime and migrant smuggling, while strengthening efforts to manage irregular migration, following high-level security and migration talks.

The two countries’ interior ministries held the seventh Strategic Security Partnership Meeting and the fourth Migration Dialogue Meeting in Ankara on Oct. 13 and 14.

In a joint statement issued after the meetings, the two countries emphasized that tackling irregular migration requires comprehensive international cooperation extending beyond border management, citing its growing links to migrant smuggling and other forms of cross-border crime.

At the security meeting, both sides stressed the importance of strengthening cooperation against a range of cross-border threats, including terrorism, terrorist financing, organized crime, smuggling, cybercrime and money laundering, describing such efforts as vital to their shared security.

They also reaffirmed that the Security and Defense Partnership signed in July 2026 provides a solid foundation for further cooperation on security issues.

During the migration dialogue, the two sides underlined their shared responsibility to manage irregular migration effectively and sustainably, acknowledging the increasingly interconnected nature of migration-related challenges and transnational criminal activity.