Europe in Africa
Europe in Africa (EIA) is a proposal for a new city - state founded on an artificial island built on the shallow Tunisian Plateau right between the Exclusive Economic Zone of Tunisia and Italy. The aim of EIA is to provide a secure place for people that have to flee their country and want to reach Europe.
The seabed on which the island will be erected and its surrounding territorial waters will be rented for 99 years from Tunisia and Italy, by the European Union.
More than 20.000 people died in the past 25 years trying to cross the Mediterranean Sea.
Every option of starting a new life in Europe is a bad one. EIA wants to eliminate the worst one, the drowning in the Mediterranian sea, and wants to become the first true step towards becoming a EU citizen.
EIA aims to fight several dreadful deficits
The illegal and life threatening journey crossing the Mediterranean Sea, organized by criminal traffickers >> a ferry will connect the African shore with EIA 4 times a day
The awful living situations in asylum seeker centers for many years; sometimes only to hear that one has to go back. In many European countries asylum seeker centers are undersized structures similar to hospital but practically jails. The hygienic conditions are very poor due to a lacking or outdated infrastructure.
Prevent the ones that flee asylum seeker centers or don’t decide to apply for asylum at all from going underground and continue to live as illegal immigrants with all the miseries that situation entails.
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EIA is in fact a new country with its own constitution, economic and social system under the protection of the states of the European Union.
EIA is geographically, bureaucratically and culturally right between Europe and Africa. It is a legal and human step towards Europe, but remains culturally very African.
EIA Values
EIA is a compromise, but a legal and human compromise; it is not Europe but also not Africa; it is no 100% without crime but for sure not criminal; it is not ideal but better than any other option.
Everybody is welcome in EIA; nobody would be sent away. EIA is all what the European Union wants to be. This city has the potential to experiment with new forms of nationhood or introduce an intercontinental cityness. It has the potential to blur borders and to build bridges were at the moment just fences and barbwire exists. EIA will not become a Ceuta or Melilla since it does not belong to any nation, EIA will not be colonial since it belongs to its inhabitants and not to any European nation, EIA will not be a ghetto since it will not be fenced.
EIA will be the first truly European city, yet would be run and populated by people from Africa and Asia that had to flee their countries and want to enjoy European living standards.
The island will establish its own economy, starting with building construction and its adjacent businesses, yet additionally existing European businesses would be invited to set up branches in EIA, in order to give a boost to the islands welfare.
Together we can make EIA a reality!
EIA is een project dat moet worden gerealiseerd. EIA wil niet publiekelijk bekend worden als idee, maar als te realiseren plan. Voor EIA is een groot en competent team van verschillende beroepsgroepen nodig: juristen, economen, ondernemers, politici en ontwerpers. Dit team moet worden samengesteld om mogelijke gebreken in het concept aan te passen en te werken aan de realisatie.
Door EIA kan Europa laten zien dat het in staat is om op te treden tegen de huidige onmenselijke, schandelijke tragedie die plaats vindt en iets constructiefs te doen. Het gaat niet alleen om het redden van duizenden levens, maar ook om het scheppen van de basis voor een betere, welvarender en gezondere toekomst.