The Minister of Foreign Affairs and International Cooperation, Luigi Di Maio, met with the Director General of the International Organisation for Migration (IOM), António Vitorino, on the sidelines of the 74th United Nations General Assembly in New York.
The meeting offered the opportunity to reaffirm Italy’s support to the IOM as a decisive partner in managing migration phenomena, especially in transit Countries and along the Central Mediterranean migration routes. The Minister reaffirmed the urgency of a more effective and structured solidarity among EU member Countries on the issue of migrants and recalled the IOM’s key contribution in reducing irregular migration flows in the Mediterranean, deaths at sea and in combating human traffickers.
Lastly, the Foreign Minister underscored the importance of assisted voluntary returns, as a key instrument to reduce the pressure on transit Countries and to promote the development of the communities originating migration flows. The Minister concluded: “The migration issue is a priority for our Government. We have always supported the IOM’s activities and we intend to further strengthen our collaboration thanks to the resources of the Foreign Ministry’s Africa Fund.”
