Migrants: Conference in Rome on Managing Flows and Transit Countries

Rome - Cooperation on migration with the main countries of transit based on a new integrated approach to the management of migration flows. This will be the main focus of the ministerial conference "A Shared Responsibility for a Common Goal: Solidarity and Security" to be held in Rome on July 6.

The conference will be chaired by the Italian Minister of Foreign Affairs Angelino Alfano, alongside Italy's Deputy Minister of Foreign Affairs Mario Giro. The conference will be attended by the High Representative of the European Union for Foreign Affairs Federica Mogherini, alongside the Director General of the International Organization for Migration (OIM) William Lacy Swing, the Assistant High Commissioners for Refugees Volker Turk, and the UN special representative of the secretary-general for international migration Louise Arbour. Conference participants will also include the foreign ministers of the main African Countries of Transit and of the European Countries most closely engaged in cooperation on the issue of migration with countries of transit on the African continent.

The meeting aims to strengthen the existing partnership with transit countries for migrants in Africa, with a view to securing the EUs external borders through a new integrated approach which, in keeping with principles of solidarity and security, is designed to protect and assist migrants and particularly refugees in these countries of transit, with a particular concern for the protection of human rights. The conference goals also include promoting measures designed to increase the number of assisted voluntary repatriations of migrants to their countries of origin, supporting development initiatives for local communities hosting migrants, and bolstering the role of international organizations working in the main transit countries in Africa affected by current migration flows.