On Friday 9 October 2015, Minister of Foreign and European Affairs, Minister of Immigration and Asylum, Jean Asselborn, joined European Commissioner for Migration and Home Affairs, Dimitris Avramopoulos, in Italy to discuss the European response to the refugee crisis with Italian Minister of the Interior, Angelino Alfano.
In Rome, Minister Asselborn and Commissioner Avramopoulos met with Minister Alfano to take stock of the refugee situation on the ground and take an indepth look at the implementation of the relocation mechanism adopted in September.
"Europe means not only budgetary crisis, financial crisis, migration crisis, Europe means also that we have the power, we have the energy we have, yes, the will to tackle and to solve this human and huge problem," commented Minister Asselborn, before joining the Commissioner in witnessing the departure of the first refugees to benefit from the relocation mechanism which will see 160,000 asylum seekers transferred over the next two years. These 19 Eritreans had received international protection status after being rescued off the coast of Libya, recorded on the island of Lampedusa and relocated from Italy to Sweden.
"This first flight proves that Europe has assumed its responsibilities," stated Jean Asselborn, before commenting "It's a start, the goal is to go step by step towards a solution": He pledged that "as the Presidency, we will continue to do our best to meet the migration challenge by providing a humane solution. Migration policy will give a new chance to these experiences people who have suffered in recent months and years".
Minister Asselborn and Dimitris Avramopoulos then visited the island of Lampedusa in order to visit the rescue and first reception centre (CSPA) for refugees, one of the four 'hotspots' currently operating in Italy.
On the site, the Minister also held talks with expert support teams made up of the European Asylum Support Office (EASO), the European Agency for the Management of Operational Cooperation at External Borders (Frontex), Europol and the national authorities, whose mission is to identify, record and take fingerprints of asylum seekers.
Jean Asselborn will participate in the 'Foreign Affairs' Council of the EU today, to join an exchange of views on Syria and the need to continue to bring a UN Special Envoy for Syria, Staffan de Mistura, to reach a lasting solution to the Syrian crisis.
The Ministers will then take stock of the recent political developments in Libya, following the announcement by Bernardino Léon, the Special Representative of the Secretary General of the United Nations, concerning the final package of the political agreement on 8 October.
Top photo by EU/Fabi Tiziana (First refugees depart)
Second photo by Ministry of Foreign and European Affairs
Bottom photos by EU/Fabi Tiziana (European Commissioner Avramopoulos
