France, Italy Push For Migrant Processing Centres In Africa

French President Emmanuel Macron with Italy's new premier Giuseppe Conte in Paris. Photo: Ludovic Marin/AFP

Italy and France have jointly expressed support for EU "asylum centres" to be set up in countries where many migrants begin their journeys to Europe.

According to BBC, Italian Prime Minister Giuseppe Conte and French President Emmanuel Macron met in Paris after a days-long row over the fate of the rescue ship Aquarius.

Italy had refused to accept the vessel, carrying more than 600 African migrants, diverting it to Spain.

Mr Conte and Mr Macron have now agreed the current system must be reformed.

Mr Macron proposed building migration centres in countries of departure, including Libya, from which many people attempt a dangerous sea crossing to Europe - an idea he has raised in the past.

He said many of those attempting the journey had "no possibility of obtaining asylum in Europe", but die in the attempt - or spend months living in poor conditions only to be sent home.

Processing asylum claims in applicants' home countries could avoid those problems, he said.

Mr Conte, the head of Italy's new populist coalition government, agreed with the plan, calling for widespread reform of the current system.





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