Valletta summit must provide 'concrete, executable, long-term solutions' - Mizzi

Shortly after the beginning of the EU-Africa Summit in Valletta on the refugee crisis, MEP Marlene Mizzi stated that her expectations on the EU African summit were hopeful but realistic.

The Valletta summit brings together more than 40 African and EU heads of state and government to discuss the migration crisis.

"I don't expect that the Valletta Summit will come up with a magical solution to the problem of migration. I expect this summit to be the first step towards better cooperation and open political dialogue between Europe and African countries, rather than discussing this problem amongst ourselves," said Mizzi in her comment, shortly after the start of the Summit.

However, in a strong statement at the plenary session in Strasbourg in preparation for the Valletta Summit in October, Mizzi had already urged the Member States and the African countries to use the EU-African Summit in Valletta as a platform to develop a far-looking EU-African strategy to find concrete solutions in tackling the causes of migration at the origin.

"People are no longer forced to flee their homes if provided with a better future in their own countries. We have concentrated too much on solving the problems after the migrants arrive in Europe. We have to find solutions for them in their own countries so that they will not have to leave"

"The right way forward is through a better co-operation with our African partners. The summit is a unique opportunity to reflect upon Malta's important role in this crisis but also to come forward with a genuine international response to it by agreeing long-term strategy that deals with the causes of migration", said Mizzi.

"I also expect that the conclusions of the EU-Africa Summit in Valletta will finally deliver concrete tangible results. Very often when it comes to migration decisions in Europe, Member States lack commitment and political will to implement and enforce those decisions. We don't have problems agreeing, we have problems executing and monitoring.

"The summit must ensure international executable commitment by all its parties. Otherwise it will be just another leaders' meeting with much talk and no walk" said Mizzi.