UK Prime Minister Keir Starmer recently met with Italian Prime Minister Giorgia Meloni in Rome to discuss cooperation in tackling illegal migration. Starmer has pledged to add €4.75 million to Meloni’s “Rome Process” initiative, which focuses on addressing the root causes of migration and cracking down on smugglers. Starmer praised Italy for reducing sea arrivals by 60% since 2022 and expressed interest in learning from Italy’s success in managing migration.
The Rome Process, part of European efforts to outsource migrant controls to third countries, aims to tackle issues such as conflict, economic hardship, and climate change. Meloni and Starmer discussed new solutions, such as the Italy-Albania agreement, which the UK government has shown interest in. However, Amnesty International has criticized Rome’s decision to open processing centers for asylum seekers in neighboring Albania.
While more than 22,000 migrants have crossed from France into the UK this year, Italy has seen a 60% decrease in migrants arriving by boat. Meloni’s government has implemented measures to deter migrants from making dangerous Mediterranean crossings, including deals with African countries to block departures and limits on humanitarian rescue ships. Despite criticisms, Meloni has maintained a tough stance on migration, with her deputy PM Matteo Salvini facing legal action for refusing a humanitarian rescue ship to dock in 2019.
The meeting between Starmer and Meloni highlights the ongoing challenges both countries face in managing illegal migration and their efforts to collaborate on finding effective solutions.
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