Amid the domestic and EU political jockeying, Meloni resurrected campaign calls for a naval blockade of North Africa to prevent human traffickers from launching their smuggling boats into the Mediterranean. Meloni visited Lampedusa on Sunday with Commission President Ursula von der Leyen, who took a hard line cheered by Meloni's supporters. Not the smugglers," Von der Leyen said as she laid out a 10-point plan that included a pledge of support to prevent departures of smuggling boats by establishing "operational partnerships on anti-smuggling" with countries of origins and transit. Under the deal von der Leyen signed with Tunisia, the EU pledged to provide funds for equipment, training and technical support "to further improve the management of Tunisia's borders." Some member countries have objected to the way von der Leyen pushed the Tunisia plan through and complain that they were not properly consulted.

Source: The North Africa Journal September 19, 2023 13:11 UTC