G7: Ministers approve action plan on migration and renew commitment against extremism

The meeting of the ministers of G7 hosted in Mirabella Eclanoa municipality in the Irpinia region of the province of Avellino, and chaired by the Minister of the Interior Matteo Piantedosiwhich concluded today with the renewed commitment of the seven major industrialized countries to counter extremism, in the context of the increasing threats posed by international crisis scenarios, and with the adoption of a joint action plan to tackle the migration phenomenon. “We discussed the complex security challenges facing our nations and reaffirmed our commitment to combating threats to our societies and democratic values,” read the ministers’ final statement, which underlined the importance of adopting “a comprehensive approach to provide effective and sustainable measures to tackle complex crimes, using synergies with other initiatives aimed at promoting international cooperation.”

The action plan adopted at the end of the G7 ministerial meeting aims to “prevent, deter and dismantle organized criminal networks that profit from migrant smuggling, human trafficking and other related crimes, as well as the business models of organized criminal disrupt companies.” Furthermore, the final statement condemned “terrorism and violent extremism in all its forms, both online and offline.” “We are committed to protecting the freedom and security of our societies, while upholding the rule of law and respecting human rights. We will continue to combat the financing of terrorism, the use of the internet and emerging technologies for terrorist purposes,” the G7 ministers said. .

The ministerial meeting was also attended by the Vice President of the European Commission Margaritis Schinas and the Commissioner for Home Affairs, Ylva Johanssonas well as representatives of international organizations such as Interpol, the International Organization for Migration (IOM), the United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees (UNHCR) and the United Nations Office on Drugs and Crime. Moreover, the session entirely devoted to the migration issue was attended by the Interior Ministers of Libya and Algeria respectively Imad Trabelsi e Brahim Meradand the Undersecretary of Foreign Affairs of Tunisia, Mohammed Ben Ayed. Three third countries are crucial to the European challenge of curbing migration flows to the continent, and primarily to Italy. During the closing press conference of the ministerial meeting in Mirabella Eclano, Piantedosi explained that the action plan adopted by the G7 Interior Ministers to tackle the migration phenomenon is divided into “five pillars”.

The plan “sets out the most important indications in a concrete and operational way. I am satisfied because the discussion was not just for an indirect analysis, but there were really very concrete ideas,” said the head of the Viminale. “The action plan primarily provides for strengthening the investigative and operational capacities of police forces, including by launching joint actions and creating a network of units specialized in crimes and investigations in the field of migrant smuggling and human smuggling. human trafficking,” said the minister. “Secondly, it provides for the strengthening of international cooperation, both judicial and police, as well as the development and exchange of good practices to combat the factors that promote migrant smuggling,” the minister said. “Then thirdly, there is the intensification of cooperation with third countries of origin and transit, of regular migration flows, also through cooperation with international organizations to strengthen the multifunctional centers that provide information and assistance to migrants along the main migration routes,” added Piantedosi to it. . “Fourth, there is the development and promotion of information and awareness campaigns, also in collaboration with international organizations. Finally, there is the implementation of knowledge and monitoring of flows to be able to anticipate the trends of the migration flows themselves, the regular migration flows of course, both at the global and regional level,” explained the head of the Viminale.

Piantedosi noted that with the representatives of Libya, Algeria and Tunisia “a concrete and frank dialogue took place, which not only highlighted the profiles of concrete cooperation that determine the results in terms of reducing migration flows, but also ability to participate in respecting human rights”. According to the head of the Ministry of Interior, the three North African countries have so far made great progress in applying rigorous policies in the fight against migrant traffickers “with sacred respect for human rights”. It is worth remembering that according to data from the Ministry of the Interior, in the first nine months of 2024, 30,147 irregular migrants arrived in Italy by sea from Libya, representing about 56 percent of the total, while 15,931 people from Tunisia (about 30 percent). Another 2,662 migrants came from Turkey and 951 came from Algeria. The routes from Libya therefore dominate the migration panorama of 2024, albeit by 17.81 percent compared to the 36,680 landings in the same period of 2023. Arrivals from Tunisia, on the other hand, fell by 82.52 percent, from 91,145 in 2023 to 15,931 in 2024.

“Libya, Algeria and Tunisia are countries with which we carry out assisted voluntary repatriations, which are carried out primarily in accordance with international organizations, building return pathways that are voluntarily accepted by people, including resettlement that is also financially supported in their country of origin. Piantedosi explained during the press conference that officially closed the ministerial work in the municipality of Irpinia. The head of the Viminale underlined that the G7 Interior Ministers are committed to “influencing the causes that push people to emigrate, and promoting the conditions for economic and social development of the countries of origin of the flows .” “Our partners have continually referred to the Mattei Plan and the Rome Process. We intend to protect the right not to emigrate, because everyone should be able to build their own future in their own home country, in a context that must of course be safe and prosperous, especially for the younger generations,” Piantedosi said.

According to the Minister of the Interior, “Criminal organizations engaged in human trafficking make enormous profits and endanger the lives of migrants, while also violating the laws established by states to regulate migration policies, which must be passed on to states entrusted”. Traffickers, Piantedosi added, “are increasingly using mafia-like methods.” In this regard, Italy can make an important contribution in the fight against criminal networks and migrant trafficking, also thanks to the expertise gained in the fight against the mafia, the Minister of the Interior emphasized. Based on all these threats, Piantedosi explained that the ministerial meeting in Mirabella Eclano “reiterated with one voice that dismantling the cartels of human traffickers is a priority that requires strong and decisive action.” In the final statement, ministers pledged: “We will work to promote integrated border management and implement more effective interception, investigation, disruption, prosecution and anti-corruption activities to deter and dismantle smuggling and human trafficking networks along migration routes , with the aim of bringing perpetrators to justice and seizing their assets.”

Regarding the threats posed by international crisis scenarios, against the backdrop of conflicts in the Middle East and Ukraine, Interior Ministers reaffirmed the aim of “addressing the drivers of violent extremism, including violent extremist ideologies, before these can lead to attacks.” “We also recognize the value of other preventive tools against terrorism, such as administrative and judicial measures. We aim to identify best practices in this area and use these measures, where appropriate, to prevent attacks on our territories,” the final statement said. “We reiterate our commitment to combat the spread of terrorist and violent extremist content online, as well as the use of new technologies for terrorist purposes, while promoting respect for human rights, including freedom of expression. We call on the digital industry to step up efforts to tackle the rise of terrorist and violent extremist content online. We also underline the need to increase dialogue and cooperation between governments, civil society organizations and the digital industry,” added the interior ministers of the seven major industrialized countries.

Overall, as Piantedosi explained at the closing conference of the G7 meeting, “the working sessions were full of ideas.” “We have tackled many issues: terrorism, cybersecurity, synthetic drugs, artificial intelligence, migration issues, the fight against irregular migration and especially the fight against human traffickers,” underlined the head of the Viminale, adding: “It was an honor for me to preside over this ministerial meeting, with such an important participation. Everyone has provided valuable cooperation in the quality of the interventions and experiences.”

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