Developing a development and security partnership between the European Union and Africa is necessary to create prospects for the future of the countries of the continent, without this approach it will not be possible to tackle "illegal practices". This is what was underlined by the German Chancellor, Angela Merkel, during the joint press conference which took place today at the end of the mini summit on immigration in Versailles in which the heads of state and government of France, Italy, Spain, Libya took part. Niger, Chad and the High Representative for Foreign Policy of the European Union, Federica Mogherini. "We worked on very specific points", observed Merkel, who thanking the Italian premier Paolo Gentiloni and the president of the Libyan national agreement government Fayez al Sarraj, specified that "it is clear that Italy and Libya are fundamental as an interface" for face the phenomenon. The head of the German government mentioned the reduction in migratory flows recorded in the current month: “The number of migrants is reduced and the number of drownings is also reduced. Regarding the situation in Libya, the main starting point for ships loaded with irregular migrants, Merkel stressed the need to support the work of the United Nations and UN organizations in the country. For the German Chancellor "it is important to see how critical situations can be tackled", but it is up to the UN High Commissioner for Refugees (UNHCR) to decide. Furthermore, for Merkel, a distinction must be made between economic migrants and those who are possible candidates to be truly refugees. The possibility of relocation - underlined the head of the German government - is linked to discussions with UNHCR in order to stop irregular immigration, otherwise we will give an incorrect signal ”. Merkel reiterated the importance of supporting the development of countries involved in the phenomenon of migration, both those of transit, such as Niger and Chad, and those of origin. In this regard, the head of the German government underlined the creation of a task force among the countries present today at the mini summit in Versailles, announcing that there will be a new meeting in the future to address these issues.
Then Chancellor Merkel also spoke of the Dublin system: "it must necessarily be revised" considering that "it does not offer satisfactory solutions because the countries of arrival are disadvantaged compared to the others, since there is no real solidarity in Europe and the solutions are not they are really workable. Regarding the need to change the Convention on determining the state responsible for examining an asylum application lodged in one of the member states of the European Union, known as the "Dublin system", the head of the German government underlined ineffectiveness and claimed the need to “work to renew this system and find other solutions.