Participants from more than 20 countries agreed to make funding available to support development projects in what Meloni said would be a “Rome Process” that would last for several years. For partnerships with other countries in the region,” European Commission head Ursula von der Leyen told the conference. Conference host Italy is struggling to cope with the number of unauthorised migrants arriving in centres such as its far southern island of Lampedusa. However, it also has an ageing and declining population and needs additional workers to support its economy. Arrivals in Italy are surging this year with over 83,000 people coming ashore so far compared with around 34,000 in the same period in 2022.

Source: The North Africa Journal July 24, 2023 04:22 UTC