The flow of migrants in the central Mediterranean quadrupled this year, an increase of 376% compared to last year, due in particular to the arrival on the Italian coasts, which has already received 91,000 people in 2023.
The flow of migrants in the central Mediterranean, from Tunisia to Italy, has more than quadrupled this year compared to 2022, with 91,000 people disembarking on Italian coasts, the Italian Government indicated this Tuesday.
According to the Italian Minister of the Interior, Matteo Piantedosi, this increase – in 376% compared to last year — justified the interest of the Prime Minister of Italy, Giorgia Meloni, in promoting a memorandum, signed in July between the European Commission and Tunisia, which includes financial support measures and a commitment to strengthen immigration controlss.
As a result of the evolution of these migratory flows, the Government intensified bilateral relations with Tunisian leaders, defending, in all international forums, the interests and needs of a country that wants to collaborate loyally in the fight against illegal migration but that “It is suffocated by a very strong economic crisis,” explained Matteo Piantedosi, in a speech delivered this Tuesday in the Chamber of Deputies.
Likewise, the minister appealed to the “resource release” aimed at “strengthening Tunisia’s capabilities control its maritime and land borders.”
Piantedosi’s statements come a week after the European Commission confirmed that Tunisia returned aid of 60 million euros granted by the European Union (EU), described by the Tunisian president, Kais Said, as a gesture of “charity” contrary to the agreements.
The rest of the migratory routes originating in other countries have decreased this year, especially that from Turkey, whose flow ends this Tuesday. 54.9% less than last year, and that of Algeria, whose decrease was 46.44%. Departures from Libya too decreased by 4%Piantedosi said.
In total, and including departure points other than Tunisia, 140,586 immigrants arrived on the Italian coasts from January until now, according to Italian government records, which represents a figure much higher than the 75,833 people who arrived in the same period of 2022 and the 49,754 registered in 2021.
We have been experiencing very strong migratory pressure in the Central Mediterranean for many months, directed at Italy and, therefore, at Europe,” highlighted the minister.
TO lampedusa islandthe Italian territory closest to the African coast, remains the main arrival point of small boats with migrants, having received more than 90,000 people between the beginning of the year and mid-October, which represents 70% of all immigrant arrivals this year.
The Italian Minister of the Interior also reminded the massive landings of precarious boats that this summer saturated the reception capacity of Lampedusa, “an island of about 6,000 inhabitants, located in the center of the Mediterranean that, only in the period between June 1 and September 30, was crossing point of 64,051 people”to other parts of Italy.
In the same speech in parliament, Piantedosi mentioned the recent escalation of hostilities in the Middle Easttaking advantage of the current context to They urge Europe to control migration routes.
The minister also linked non-governmental humanitarian rescue organizations with human trafficking and highlighted the need to strengthen controls to avoid the risk of terrorist infiltrations.
Source: Observadora
