Italy and France back small projects for Africa to stem immigration

[Strengthandhonour]

ROME, Sept 1, 2006 (AFP) - Italy and France agreed Friday on the need for small-scale development projects in Africa to halt the exodus from the continent of illegal emigrants seeking a new life in Europe.
"We need a total break with our traditional immigration policy," said Italian Prime Minister Romanio Prodi after talks in Rome with his French counterpart Dominique de Villepin, who called for "a new impetus on this issue".
"I am thinking of initiatives which could allow development directly on the African continent... with small projects that could make it possible to keep the African labour force in place, giving them prospects for the future," Villepin said.
Prodi advocated "the constitution of a Mediterranean development bank and cultural and university initiatives bringing together countries north and south of the Mediterranean."
He too backed "micro-initiatives in African countries that could take place in training, instruction, preparation of the workforce so we can actively regulate this enormous historical process."
Italy has again this summer had to deal with the arrival of large numbers of African clandestine immigrants along its southern coasts.
Interior ministry figures show that 178 craft carrying 10,414 passengers were intercepted during the first six months of this year near the small island of Lampedusa, 200 kilometres (120 miles) south of Sicily, which is one of the European territories closest to Africa.
In the equivalent period in 2005 the total was 6,901.
Many boats foundered during the crossing from Libya with an unknown number of deaths since not all the bodies of those who drowned are recovered.
Italy has asked for European Union help, in particular for sea patrols involving a number of states in the region but the means have not always been made available.
The plight of Spain's Atlantic Ocean Canary islands archipelago is even more critical: almost 20,000 immigrants have arrived there so far this year.

source: http://www.ttc.org/200609011540.k81feq109069.htm