The year 2017 marked what Italian authorities hope was a turning point in the nation’s struggle to manage a chaotic and deadly rush of migrants to its shores. Italian foreign minister Paolo Gentiloni this week called it a pivotal moment in Italy’s “historic transition from immigration managed by criminals to controlled, legal and safe migration”. But everything began to change in July as migrant boat departures from Libya suddenly dropped. Italy has continued to press its contacts in Libya to push ahead with another prong of its migrant policy. As far as refugees, Italy last week became the first country to welcome a group of 162 Ethiopian, Somali and Yemeni refugees flown in directly from Libya.

Source: Ethiopian News December 30, 2017 12:22 UTC