The perceptions of political and civil society actors on securitisation of sea rescue NGOs in the Mediterranean: the case of Italy

Abstract

ABSTRACT The role of maritime NGOs in the Mediterranean has increased, especially during the ‘migration crisis’, to compensate for EU member states, which are mostly hesitant to intervene and act in solidarity with each other despite being the main responsible actors for border controls. This article focuses on the case of Italy, which is one of the mostly affected countries from the flow of irregular migrants, especially from Libya. It analyses the securitisation of sea rescue NGOs, especially during the Lega-M5S coalition government (June 2018–September 2019), based on face-to-face in-depth elite and expert interviews conducted in 2019 with representatives of sea rescue NGOs, a UNHCR (United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees) representative in Italy, a mayor from southern Italy, and several Italian politicians in Rome. It is argued that sea rescue NGOs were securitised during this period, particularly in Italy, to become the new ‘scapegoats’. In addition to Lega, one of the coalition partners, several other actors, such as Frontex (European Border and Frontier Agency) and the Italian media, were influential actors during this process. As long as political instability continues in Africa, particularly Libya, and the socioeconomic gap between Europe and Africa remains, sea rescue NGOs are not needed as a ‘pull factor’. Instead, migrants will go on risking their lives by making a very risky journey across African states before trying to cross the Mediterranean Sea to realise their ‘European dream’.