Italy Hosts Conference to Address Irregular Migration

On Sunday, Italy is hosting an international conference involving Mediterranean and Middle East states to address some of the causes of "irregular migration flows."

"The Conference aims to govern the migration phenomenon, combat human trafficking and promote economic development based on a new model of collaboration between states," the Italian government said in a statement.

Italy's government also said the conference was organized "at the initiative" of Prime Minister Georgia Meloni, who promised during her 2022 election campaign to "stop the disembarkation" of migrants in the country.

The one-day summit began with Meloni calling for more equal relations between Europe and the countries migrants come from or transit through.

Meloni identified four main axes for further cooperation: tackling criminal gangs that traffic migrants, better management when it comes to migrant flows, support for refugees, and assistance to countries of origin.

The full list of participants at the International Conference on Development and Migration in Rome is not known, although Meloni confirmed the presence of Tunisian President Kais Saied.

Meanwhile, the United Arab Emirates has pledged 98.8 million euros ($110 million) to support development initiatives in countries affected by irregular migration, according to the official news agency WAM.

Meloni's administration has tried to clamp down on humanitarian ships rescuing migrants in the Mediterranean by passing legislation that would force ships to head to port immediately after rescue.