The island is Italy's southern-most border and is often the first destination that migrants and refugees seeking a new life in Europe head for.

"I want to thank Ylva Johansson," said Interior Minister Matteo Piantedosi. "It is the first time that a European commissioner has come to Lampedusa. We see it as a sign of Europe's closeness to the problems of Italy, Lampedusa and the countries where the migrants arrive first."

The minister added that Ylva Johansson's presence was "preceded by concrete acts and it will be followed by others that the European Commission is preparing to support Italy with this delicate task of being the country of first entry."

Also read: Lampedusa: More than 3,000 migrants fill 'hotspot' to eight times its capacity

'You're not alone' Johansson tells people of Lampedusa

During her visit, Johansson said her message to the people of Lampedusa is that they are not alone as they face the arrival of large numbers of migrants and refugees each day.

"It is necessary to say one thing”, Johansson told a press conference on the island with Piantedosi and Lampedusa Mayor Filippo Manni. "This is not just an Italian challenge, it is also a European one. You are not alone."

"Italy is always under very strong migration pressure and this year it has grown a lot – more than 65,000 migrants have arrived so far and many of them arrived here on Lampedusa. Italy is trying to deal with this in every way, it has also approved new legislation," she continued.

Johansson praised the Red Cross, which has been managing the migrant hotspot since June 1, and said "it has improved this hotspot’s condition in a very short period of time."

"I am particularly struck by the work carried out by everyone here, work carried out on a daily basis under pressure which is however ensured to provide the best possible conditions to those arriving here. I want to thank, in particular, the coast guard and police," added the commissioner.

Johansson praised the work carried out by Agrigento police officers to identify migrants and asylum seekers, calling it "miraculous".

"European agencies work here daily beside the Italians: Frontex, Euroform and all the other agencies dealing with this hotspot," she added, stressing the importance of a European approach to migration.

"The European Union is already doing something and wants to do more financially, as soon as possible. It is certainly insufficient, if not supported by European legislation. And a turning point was registered a few weeks ago, in Luxembourg we could approve a first contribution to a legislation" on migration and asylum.

"We added stable support, with a few minor exceptions. No member State can be left alone to deal with this phenomenon," noted the commissioner.

Also read: Are Italy and the UK preparing to strike a deal about migration?

'We are stronger together', EU Commissioner says

"United, we are much, much stronger. And our mandate, reached a few weeks ago, is an important step forward. It is solid legislation that can give us a solid base to move forward on this front," stressed the commissioner.

She urged to work together with the countries of origin and transit, and to fight human traffickers together.

Johansson said that "Italy is playing, in this, a great role," adding that a recent visit by Italian Premier Giorgia Meloni, together with (European Commission President) von der Leyen and the Dutch Prime Minister (Mark Rutte) to Tunisia was of great importance "to reach a memorandum of agreement making a collaboration and the aim we are pursuing possible."

Piantedosi ruled out detention center at hotspot

Piantedosi ruled out the creation of a migrant detention center at the Lampedusa hotspot.

"It will continue to exist with the same vocation as at present, that of a transit base," Piantedosi told reporters after a visit to the facility with Johansson.

His comment came after the government's special commissioner for the migrant emergency Valerio Valenti said that the facility could host the first detention center for asylum seekers from so-called safe countries of origin contemplated under new migration legislation to facilitate their deportation in the event of a negative outcome to their claim.

"There are no miraculous solutions to the phenomenon of migration, but we are building something that can allow a more orderly management of the phenomenon, putting together the humanitarian aspects but also security," the minister also said.

"We remain convinced of the need to fight international human trafficking without any influence. This will not be visible here, or only here, but will always be a priority and I know that it is also an objective that the European Commission and the European Union want to share with Italy," he added.