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“Whatever it takes.” Do whatever is necessary to combat human traffickers, including destroying the factories of the small boats they use to cross the Mediterranean or the English Channel. It is the almost Draghi-esque motto with which a new international task force to combat human trafficking was actually launched yesterday by the mouth of English Prime Minister Rishi Sunak. The new format, which aims to move “from diagnosis to treatment” of the problem, is the implementation of an idea developed by Sunak himself and Giorgia Meloni at the G20 summit in New Delhi. As they struggle with hundreds of landings every month, they have decided to form a common front and create a dialogue platform extending not only to European countries but also outside the Union to develop common initiatives against human trafficking .
And so yesterday, on the sidelines of the European Political Community meeting organized by the Spanish Presidency in Granada, the two met with the President of the EU Commission Ursula von der Leyen, the Frenchman Emmanuel Macron, the Dutchman Mark Rutte and the Albanian Edi Rama created a Type of “six-party pact” to implement concrete and coordinated measures against human trafficking. Good operational intentions are laid out in black and white in an 8-point document, ranging from “robust” action against human traffickers, to greater support for partner countries IOM and UNHCR in assisting migrants with returns, to supporting North African countries in border protection and against Entry.
The action
However, according to Italian sources who have closely followed the dossier, the first step will be to intensify the exchange of information between the respective intelligence services, implement cooperation with the judicial authorities and conclude new cooperation agreements with the countries of origin and transit. Specifically, we are working on building a database that contains information on the departure areas of the smuggler caravans and the production areas of the small boats. In fact, these factories represent one of the main targets of the six heads of state and government.
On the contrary, during the meeting, according to diplomatic sources, there was no focus on the so-called “Rwanda model” of returns, which was implemented by Sunak (and appreciated by Meloni) but was found illegal by the London Court of Appeal. The problem of NGOs would also not have been addressed in the same way. But among the absences at the limited summit, which took place before a dinner with all the heads of state and government against the picturesque backdrop of the Alhambra, German Olaf Scholz stood out. In addition, of course, to that of the host Pedro Sanchez: the Spaniards in fact would not have appreciated the initiative, since the issue of migrants was not on the agenda of yesterday’s EPC, but on the agenda of the upcoming informal EU Council in Granada today. “But the Spaniards were of course informed and invited. The format is open to anyone who wants to take part,” assures the Italian delegation.
The external dimension
In any case, the discussion on the migration issue will continue today, not without problems and not only in the external dimension that Meloni cares about (“We have to walk more,” he said). In fact, Polish Prime Minister Mateusz Morawiecki has already reiterated that he intends to place a “hard veto” on the new pact on migration and asylum, released on Wednesday after Berlin’s withdrawal from NGOs and the subsequent agreement with Rome. A match in which the Pole once again tries to involve Italy. So much so that, as diplomatic sources explain, on the table of the Italians is the request for a personal meeting with Meloni (the leader of the ECR, the European conservative family to which they both belong) and the other leader The Hungarian Viktor Orban is against the Reform.
Contacts that seem like a vivid demonstration of Italy’s central role in the game. This centrality was also highlighted by the Prime Minister herself upon her arrival in Granada. “We have shown that we are anything but isolated in these negotiations,” the Prime Minister replied to reporters who asked about the agreement with Berlin. Finally, the Prime Minister promised immediate progress on the so-called Mattei Plan. “We have reached a point where we arrive with a governance rule (Undersecretary of State Alfredo Mantovano is working on the text), which I will of course present in Parliament in November,” in time for the long-awaited Italy-Africa Conference, which is scheduled for The first few days planned are days in November.
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