Macron and Macron agreed to strengthen cooperation in the migration file across the English Channel

Sunak: Tough decisions must be made to reform the British economy

Sunak agreed with Macron to hold a summit between them next year.

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New British Prime Minister Rishi Sunak said yesterday that tough decisions will have to be made to put British government borrowing on a sustainable path, adding that he was confident in reforming the economy.

This comes as the British Prime Minister's office announced that it had agreed with French President Emmanuel Macron to strengthen cooperation to reduce immigration across the English Channel, in the first contact between them since Sunak took office, as they agreed to hold a summit between them next year.

“We as a country are facing a lot of challenges, but I am confident in our ability to reform the economy,” Sunak told reporters. “The finance minister has already said that of course tough decisions will have to be made, and I will sit down with him and look at those decisions ... We need to do these things so that we can Putting borrowing and debt back on a sustainable path.”

Meanwhile, French President Emmanuel Macron and Britain's new prime minister plan to meet next year, with the two leaders stressing the need to work together after relations between their countries have soured.

In a statement to reporters, the French presidency said that Macron and Sunak agreed to prepare for the bilateral summit, in a telephone conversation that took place between them yesterday.

A Downing Street spokesperson confirmed the meeting was planned, according to Bloomberg News.

The French statement added that Macron congratulated Sunak on assuming his duties, and affirmed his readiness to deepen bilateral relations in the fields of defense, strategic affairs and energy.

Sunak's office said the two leaders agreed it was "essential" to collaborate in "a wide range of areas" and also discussed channel migration, a hot issue in the UK that has been linked to post-Brexit trade tensions.

A Downing Street spokesman said the two leaders "are committed to deepening our partnership to deter deadly flights across the Channel that benefit organized crime groups."

Sunak stressed "the importance of making the canal route completely unviable for human smugglers for the two countries."

And "The Times" reported yesterday, quoting government sources, that Sunak seeks to tighten the terms of a draft agreement with France, on cooperation across the Channel, and make it "more ambitious."

Sunak seeks to include in the draft agreement with France setting the minimum number of French personnel guarding the border, according to the report.

He also stated that the Prime Minister wanted to set a new internal target for the British Home Office, to process 80% of asylum applications within six months, in order to relieve the current pressure.

The interior minister, appointed by Soila Braverman, supports the government's plan to send migrants who cross the Channel illegally to Rwanda.

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