Europeans, Africans agree to tackle migrant crisis

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Europe

Seven nations, comprising of Europe's "big four" continental powers and three African states, agreed a plan on Monday to address human trafficking and support nations struggling to contain the flow of people across the desert and the Mediterranean.

The 28-nation EU has long struggled to reach a coherent answer to the influx of migrants fleeing war, poverty and political upheaval in the Middle East and Africa, and the crisis is testing cooperation between the bloc's member states.

After hosting the leaders of Germany, Italy, Spain, Chad, Niger and Libya, French President Emmanuel Macron said it was time for greater coordination.

French President Emmanuel Macron speaks during a meeting with EU and African leaders to discuss how to ease the EU's migrant crisis, at the Elysee Palace in Paris, Aug. 28, 2017. /AFP Photo

"We must all act together, from the source countries to Europe and passing by the transit countries, especially Libya, to be efficient," he said. "It's a challenge as much for the EU as for the African Union."

While the meeting was sparse on concrete details, the leaders agreed on the principle of setting up a mechanism to identify legitimate migrants who are fleeing war and persecution, and to use the UN to register them in Niger and Chad so as to prevent them being exploited by traffickers.

"At the core of it, it's all about fighting illegal migration," German Chancellor Angela Merkel told a news conference.

German Chancellor Angela Merkel (C), and Chadian President Idriss Deby, (2nd R) attend a meeting with EU Foreign Policy Chief Federica Mogherini (L) at the Elysee Palace in Paris, France, Aug. 28, 2017. /Reuters Photo

She said that Berlin was willing to increase its efforts.

"If we want to stop human traffickers, then this can only be achieved through development aid," she said.

The migrant crisis has put Paris and Rome at odds. Italy has accused France and other EU states of not sharing the migrant burden and has also asked the EU Commission for more budget flexibility to help it tackle the crisis.

Nearly 120,000 migrants, including refugees, have entered Europe by sea so far this year, according to the International Organization for Migration. More than 2,400 have drowned while making the dangerous journey, often without enough food or water in overcrowded dinghies run by people smugglers.

Nigerien President Mahamadou Issoufou (L) and Chadian President Idriss Deby at the meeting with EU and African leaders to discuss how to ease the EU's migrant crisis, at the Elysee Palace in Paris, Aug. 28, 2017. /AFP Photo

"We are all committed to reducing the damage, the death of Africans in the desert, the death of Africans crossing the Mediterranean," Chadian President Idriss Deby said.

"The fundamental problem will always remain development. We need resources," he said.

The informal meeting did not outline any new specific financing and the leaders repeated that stabilizing chaotic Libya, where thousands of migrants end up before embarking on a perilous Mediterranean sea journey to Europe, would be key to any long-term solution.

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Source(s): Reuters