Must work as partners to tackle migration crisis, says European Commission President

ITALY: President of the European Commission, Ursula von der Leyen while welcoming that the pressing issue of migration is being addressed by the Group of Seven (G7), stressed the need for partnership and urged fellow leaders to confront the root causes of migration, combat human trafficking, and establish legal pathways for migrants.

"Welcome that G7 addresses the key topic of migration. We must work as partners to address root causes, fight smugglers/human traffickers & work on legal pathways. The EU Pact on Migration & Asylum is a major step forward, complemented by strong partnerships with third countries," said von der Leyen in a post on X.

During the second day of the three-day G7 Summit in the southern Italian region of Apulia, the G7 leading industrialised nations engaged in discussions on migration, followed by the Indo-Pacific and economic security.

Prime Minister Narendra Modi is slated to address an Outreach session on Artificial Intelligence, Energy, Africa, and the Mediterranean.

"We will be discussing the importance of our increased focus on the Indo-Pacific," said Italy PM Giorgia Meloni. "Another key issue the Italian Presidency has prioritised is also linked to Africa, and not only to Africa, and that is the matter of migration and the increasingly concerning role of human trafficking organisations that are exploiting desperate human beings," she said.

Migration is among the challenging topics on the agenda of G7, which has contributed to the resurgence of populism and far-right movements in Europe and the United States.

Additionally, discussions will revolve around economic competition with China, security matters in the Indo-Pacific region, and relations between Western nations and those in the Global South, encompassing Latin America, Africa, and much of the Middle East and Asia, according to a report from The New York Times.

The issue of migration has long troubled the United States and Europe, compounded by factors such as climate change and conflicts in regions like Afghanistan, the Middle East, and Ukraine.

This issue is particularly sensitive for figures like Italian PM Meloni, who has vigorously campaigned against what she terms "uncontrolled immigration" from Africa and the Middle East into Italy and other parts of Europe.

While Europe has extended a welcoming hand to thousands of Ukrainians fleeing the Russian invasion, especially women and children, Ukrainian officials have appealed to European counterparts to assist in repatriating men of military age, as reported by The New York Times.