Italy is pushing EU partners to revive migrant burden-sharing deals as it seeks to stave off a summertime surge in landings from North Africa, Prime Minister Mario Draghi said Wednesday (12 May). Migration has returned to the top of the political agenda in Italy after more than 2,200 asylum-seekers from Tunisia and Libya arrived on its tiny island of Lampedusa last weekend. German Foreign Minister Heiko Maas, who was visiting Rome on Wednesday, said his country was ready to help. “Italy cannot be left on its own,” he said after a meeting with his counterpart Luigi Di Maio. It is patrolled by a handful of charity rescue ships, who complain that EU authorities are not doing enough to help their cause.

Source: The North Africa Journal May 12, 2021 19:52 UTC