LONDON, Feb 23, 2024 (BSS/AFP) - The United Kingdom will sign an agreement with the EU border agency Frontex on Friday to work together to crack down on irregular immigration, the government in London said.

Conservative Prime Minister Rishi Sunak has made stopping migrants crossing the Channel on boats from France a priority before a general election due this year.

Friday's agreement provides for the exchange of intelligence between Frontex and the UK Border Force to help disrupt people smuggling gangs, Britain's interior ministry said in a statement.

It also agrees to collaborate on the development of new technologies, such as the use of drones to protect borders, the Home Office added.

UK Border Force director general Phil Douglas and Frontex executive director Hans Leijtens are due to formally sign the arrangement in London.

"Organised immigration crime and people smuggling are global challenges that require shared solutions and ambitions," said UK interior minister James Cleverly.

"Our landmark working arrangement between the UK and Frontex is another crucial step in tackling illegal migration, securing our borders and stopping the boats."

The UK government says the number of migrants arriving on England's south coast in rudimentary vessels fell by a third last year from a record high of 45,000 migrants in 2022.