UK Prime Minister, Keir Starmer, met with Italian Prime Minister Giorgia Meloni in Rome to discuss cooperation in tackling illegal migration. Starmer is set to provide €4.75 million in funding to Meloni’s initiative aimed at stemming irregular migration as part of the Rome Process, which focuses on addressing the root causes of migration and cracking down on smugglers. Despite their political differences, Starmer praised Italy’s progress in reducing migrant arrivals by sea.
The UK has been facing an increase in migrants crossing from France, with more than 22,000 arrivals this year. In contrast, Italy has seen a 60% decrease in migrant arrivals by sea in the first half of the year. Meloni has implemented measures to deter migrants from making the dangerous Mediterranean crossing, including deals with African countries to block departures and restrictions on humanitarian rescue ships.
Italy has also signed a controversial deal with Albania, where some rescued migrants will be taken for processing. However, Meloni’s deputy PM, Matteo Salvini, is facing a six-year prison sentence for refusing to allow a humanitarian NGO ship to dock in 2019, a decision that has received support from the Italian government.
Overall, the meeting between the UK and Italian leaders highlights the ongoing challenges of illegal migration and the different approaches taken by European countries to address this issue. Cooperation and sharing of tactics are seen as essential in tackling the root causes of migration and cracking down on smugglers.
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