African, EU Leaders Meet On Migrant Crisis

Mohammad Ali (@ChaudhryMAli88) Published August 28, 2017 | 05:50 PM

) leaders are meeting in Paris on Monday to discuss ways to stem the flow of migrants into Europe from northern Africa

(APP - UrduPoint / Pakistan Point News - 28th Aug, 2017 ) leaders are meeting in Paris on Monday to discuss ways to stem the flow of migrants into Europe from northern Africa. French President Emmanuel Macron has invited his counterparts from Niger and Chad as well as the head of the Libyan unity government Fayez al-Sarraj, whose countries lie on the main transit route for migrants heading to Europe.

German Chancellor Angela Merkel, Spanish and Italian prime ministers Mariano Rajoy and Paulo Gentiloni, and Europe's top diplomat Federica Mogherini will join the talks. European nations are keen to offer development aid and funding to their African partners in return for help in stemming the flow of economic migrants and asylum seekers.

Some 125,000 migrants have crossed the Mediterranean by boat this year, according to UN figures, with the vast majority arriving in Italy before travelling on to other EU members. An estimated 2,400 have died en route.

France is seeking improved border controls and patrolling of the waters around Libya -- a mission complicated by the country's competing governments and state of lawlessness -- as well as development aid to create jobs in Africa.

In July, Macron also proposed -- without consulting his allies -- the creation of so-called "hotspots" in Africa where asylum seekers fleeing persecution or war could lodge a request to travel to the EU.

Under such a system they may be less tempted to make the perilous trip across the Mediterranean with the help of people traffickers, who frequently overload flimsy boats and often mistreat the migrants.

"Above all, we have to save lives, we have to avoid situations where migrants and refugees put their lives in danger to reach protection," said Ralf Gruenert, France's representative of the UN refugee agency UNHCR. "This working meeting will try to explore... how to ensure that refugees and asylum seekers can access protection mechanisms," he told AFP.