The Minister for Foreign Affairs and International Cooperation, Angelino Alfano, today received at the Farnesina the European Commissioner for Migration, Home Affairs and Citizenship, Dimitris Avramopoulos.
The meeting offered an opportunity to discuss the role of Italy at the UN Security Council and to make an overview of the main points on the agenda, including security issues and migration flows, in the conviction that Europe should meet the expectations of the Founding Countries, “because the aims of prosperity and peace have been achieved but must now be upheld and defended”, said Mr Alfano. He went on: “In this context, the event on the 25th of March in Rome will be much more than a commemoration: a basis on which to ground a new start. There is therefore a dual need of a new long-term ambitious policy on Africa and a firm solidarity with and among the Member Countries now in the front line.”
With reference to Libya, in recalling the reopening of the Italian Embassy in Tripoli, he said that it “represents a strong sign of confidence in the stabilisation process in that Country”. Mr Alfano emphasised: “Italy is making a great effort to reinforce bilateral cooperation on controlling the points of transit of migrants along the southern border between Libya and Niger with a view to combating illegal immigration and human trafficking. When Libya will be fully capable of cooperating on these issues, we expect the European Union and the International Community to be ready to launch common initiatives and support them because we are all at play together in this, with no Country excluded.” Lastly, Mr Alfano and Mr Avramopoulos highlighted the positive results of the agreements signed with the first five pilot Countries. “We must continue along this road and, in parallel, promptly implement the European External Investment Plan in order to enhance the credibility of our new approach within the New Migration Partnership Framework presented by the European Commission last 7 June and broadly based on Italy’s Migration Compact. It is very important to jointly evaluate bolstering cooperation with Tunisia, also through joint missions.”
Mr Avramopoulos spoke of the important role played by Italy in the Mediterranean, adding that relocations from Italy and Greece are finally increasing.