Malta plans Migration Summit follow up during EU council presidency

Malta is planning a follow-up to the Migration Summit held in Valletta last November, during its presidency of the EU council in 2017, Home affairs Minister Carmelo Abela said.

“The meeting will seek to bring European and African leaders together once again, to pick up where the previous summit left off,” Abela said during a meeting with the European parliament delegation on Monday 18th July.

The delegation of MEPs, consisting of Cecile Kyenge, Helga Stevens, Carlos Coelho and Maltese MEP Miriam Dalli, were in Malta to discuss the strategic priorities and operative capacities of the Malta- based European Asylum Support Office (EASO).

“Last November’s summit the meeting had presented an effort at cooperation between leaders to address the challenged and opportunities presented by migration,” Abela said.

He added that those present had adopted a political declaration and an action plan to address the root causes of migration and displacement.

“The plan also included ways to strengthen legal migration for those seeking asylum, preventative action to avoid irregular migration and ways to curb human trafficking,” he said, adding that the meetings also explored further cooperation in returns, readmission and reintegration.

“Leaders also agreed on 16 concrete points of action to be achieved by the end of 2016,” he said, adding that the upcoming proposed meeting would effectively check the progress of this plan and find ways to achieve more of it.

“There is no doubt that migration will continue to be high in the priority list when Malta takes presidency of the EU council, and I will be working hard to push for an agreement between member states to find a common strategy against the challenges in the sector,” Abela added.

He stressed the need for member states to act together and use solidarity as their guiding principle. He went on to express his support for the reformation of EASO and its competence and role.