December 18 (SeeNews) - The leaders of Italy, the UK and Albania have pledged to combat irregular migration to Europe and prioritise efforts to fight human trafficking, the Italian prime minister Giorgia Meloni's office said.
“After agreeing on the need to tackle illegal migration to Europe in an increasingly structured way, the leaders decided to further intensify cooperation between the three countries in combating human traffickers,” stated Meloni's office in a press release on Saturday, following a meeting in Rome among her, UK prime minister Rishi Sunak, and Albanian prime minister Edi Rama.
Rama is regarded as a crucial ally in efforts to reduce the influx of migrants from North Africa to European shores. In November, Italy and Albania reached an agreement for the construction of facilities in Albania, funded by Italy, to shelter migrants rescued at sea by Italian authorities. If Italy rejects the asylum bids, Albania would deport the migrants. The Albanian constitutional court has suspended the deal’s ratification in parliament pending a decision over unconstitutionality claims by the country’s opposition.
The Albanian-Italian agreement aligns with a plan introduced by Sunak to address illegal migration, proposing the deportation of illegal immigrants to Rwanda.
The leaders also discussed the importance of stability in the Western Balkans, based on the recent progress made in the European Union enlargement process in the region, the statement adds.