Some Mediterranean countries and nations from the Middle East will hold a meeting in Rome on Sunday to enhance efforts to combat illegal migration. Italy states that the goal of the meeting is to assist African countries in reducing the drivers of migration to Europe. The Italian government revealed in a statement on Friday that "the meeting will focus on building partnerships to establish projects in sectors such as agriculture, infrastructure, and health."
It pointed out that "the conference aims to control the migration phenomenon, combat human trafficking, and promote economic development according to a new model of cooperation between countries." The government highlighted that "the conference will also discuss issues related to climate change and energy, as Italy is working on implementing a cooperation initiative in the energy sector with Africa, known as the 'Mattei Plan,' named after the founder of the Italian energy group Eni post-war."
The conference comes just a week after the European Union signed a partnership agreement with Tunisia, one of the active hotspots for migrant departures, in which the bloc pledged up to one billion euros ($1.1 billion) in assistance to combat human traffickers and support the struggling economy of the country. Italian officials stated to Reuters that "the countries expected to participate in the meeting are Tunisia, Turkey, Libya, Algeria, the UAE, along with the European Union and the International Monetary Fund."
However, France is not expected to be among the participating countries, and its absence may weaken the chances of reaching strong outcomes. France clashed with Italy last year over migration issues. Italian Prime Minister Giorgia Meloni, whose country has seen a rise in migration rates this year, prioritizes engaging other countries in plans to prevent migrants from embarking on perilous journeys to Europe.
