[WATCH] 'National institutions cannot face global migration crisis alone' - Muscat

'National institutions cannot face global migration crisis alone' - Muscat

Prime Minister Joseph Muscat said that the Valletta summit on migration was expected to provide both long- and short-term solutions to the migration crisis.

Speaking during his meeting with European Parliament president Martin Schulz, Muscat added that national institutions could not be expected to face such a global crisis on their own.

"The world has finally realised that this is a global issue," Muscat said, adding that the government looked forward to the discussions during the summit itself and the informal EU council later on.

"We are happy to finally have a global discussion of the matter."

Schulz said that it was pertinent that the summit would take place in Malta as Muscat had been one of the most ardent in attempting to convince his European colleagues of the urgency of the matter.

"The problem is getting worse every day and we cannot answer global issues with national measures," he said.

Admitting that European leaders have had “various disagreements’ on migration, European Council President Donald Tusk said the agreement to hold the summit was “a huge step forward.”

Speaking during the official visit at castille, Tusk said that although the meeting was “hard to organise” he hoped it would lead to closer cooperation between European countries and African partners.

On his part, Muscat said he was under no illusion that the summit would find a quick fix to the issue because “there’s no simple or easy solution.” However, he said he hoped that the summit would mark the beginning of discussions towards a future solution.