Italian Prime Minister Giorgia Meloni has stressed the need to fight human traffickers and stop irregular migration flows towards Europe during an African Union-European Union Summit in Angola.
"I think continuing to work together to guarantee border security, fight transnational terrorism and organized crime, whose alliance is exasperating, especially in some areas, political instability, economic disorder and violence against civilians is a priority, as well as an opportunity," Italian Prime Minister Giorgia Meloni said in her speech at the African Union-European Union Summit held in Luanda, the capital of Angola, on November 24-25.
'Working together to guarantee the security of borders'
"We have to fight human traffickers, stop mass illegal immigration and reduce illegal migration flows towards Europe", continued the premier. "The sensible reduction of the dead and missing in the Mediterranean, together with the increase of training projects and pathways of legal migration, are evidence that our cooperation works and that the road we have taken, also together with the European Union, is the most correct, the most respectful of human dignity", she continued.
The seventh AU-EU summit in Luanda, which also marks the 25 years of partnership between the two Unions, focused on the theme 'Promoting peace and prosperity through effective multilateralism', which also affects migration and cooperation on repatriations, readmissions and sustainable reintegration.
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Commitment on migrants stressed by G20 leaders in South Africa
Meloni travelled to the Angolan capital in the evening of November 23, after taking part in the G20 summit in Johannesburg. The statement adopted by leaders after the summit in South Africa is the following: "We reaffirm our commitment to support migrants, including migrant workers and refugees, in our efforts towards a more inclusive world, in line with national policies, legislations and circumstances, ensuring full respect for human rights and their fundamental freedoms regardless of their migration status."
"We also recognize the importance of preventing irregular migration flows and the smuggling of migrants, as part of a comprehensive approach for safe, orderly and regular migration while responding to humanitarian needs and the root causes of displacement," continued the statement.
"We support strengthening cooperation between countries of origin, transit and destination. We will continue the dialogue on migration and forced displacement during future presidencies," it concluded.