As a European Union (EU) leaders’ two-day summit drew to an end on Friday, plans to increase extra sea-patrols to locate migrants seeking to reach Europe from Africa were endorsed. Furthermore, the EU leaders also pledged a strategy on illegal immigration.
This means that round-the-clock patrols of the EU's southern borders should start by May under an agreement that aims to stem illegal migration from northern Africa to the EU. This strategy could prove to help Malta deal with the large number of illegal immigrants reaching its shores in the recent years.
The patrols are to ensure greater seaboard coverage, could save lives and detect people traffickers. The convoys would use national coastguards but will be co-ordinated by Frontex, the EU's new border management agency, according to adnkronos international.
The need for a holistic approach to global migration was also highlighted during the summit. This is to feature as one of the main topics at an EU-Africa summit to be held in Lisbon in the second half of 2007, EU Commission president, Jose Manuel Barroso said.
Lanċa Ġejja u Oħra Sejra: Malta and its migrations.
See also:
Lm 1.7 billion approved to tackle migration issues
By MaltaMedia News
Dec 14, 2006, 19:26 CET
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