A hotline would be established between Rome and Tunis to counter irregular migration amid a spike in arrivals at Italy's Lampedusa island, Italian Interior Minister Luciana Lamorgese said this Thursday in Tunis. Tunis confirmed its "willingness to activate immediately a 'dedicated hotline' for the exchange of information" about illegal departures from Tunisia, the Italian minister said, after a meeting with Tunisian Prime Minister Hichem Mechichi, who is also serving as interim interior minister. The goal is to "have a win-win situation, and a comprehensive approach on managing migration together, both legal migration and fighting irregular migration", she said. Italy is one of the main points of entry into Europe for migrants from North Africa, mainly from Libya and Tunisia. Johansson told Italy's La Repubblica newspaper that talks were also already under way with Libya on a similar agreement to that proposed with Tunisia.

Source: The North Africa Journal May 20, 2021 18:33 UTC