The Italian Foreign Minister, Antonio Tajani, has announced a bundle of aids to Libya and Niger as part of the fight against illegal immigration in cooperation with the International Organization for Migration (IOM) and the United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees (UNHCR).
This announcement comes a day before a scheduled visit to Rome by the Libyan Prime Minister, Abdul Hamid Dbeibah, and the Head of the Presidential Council, Mohammed Menfi, to attend an International Conference on Development and Immigration.
According to the organizers, the Conference on Sunday would be attended by Turkey, Tunisia, Algeria, United Arab Emirates, and Libya, in addition to the European Union and International Monetary Fund.
Tajani explained, according to a statement by the Italian Foreign Ministry on Saturday, that Rome allocated 8.5 million euros for three projects in Libya and 7.5 million euros for three projects in Niger with the aim of curbing illegal immigrants’ influxes to Europe.
The Italian Foreign Minister said the projects would include training of local authorities to bolster their capabilities in dealing with illegal immigrants as per the standards of human rights, reiterating that the Italian government would assist Libya in feasible ways to curb illegal immigrants’ crossings from its coasts.
“We will also support the voluntary returns of illegal immigrants to their home countries as part of the IOM-Libya efforts. Likewise, Rome is going to remain committed to fighting human trafficking through the Mediterranean.” Tajani remarked.
