Sheikh Mohamed pledges $100 million for countries affected by irregular migration

UAE President Sheikh Mohamed bin Zayed Al Nahyan attended the International Conference on Development and Migration on Sunday in Rome, pledging $100 million to support development projects in countries affected by illegal migration.

The conference, aimed at finding a solution to irregular migration and human trafficking, was inaugurated by Italy’s Prime Minister Giorgia Meloni, in the presence of heads of state, government ministers, and representatives of regional and international organisations.

Participants shared mutual concerns attached to migration and its social, economic and humanitarian impact. Meloni called for a broad alliance of nations to tackle human trafficking, stressing illegal migration damages all countries across the Mediterranean.

‘Europe And Italy Need Immigration’

Highlighting the importance of immigration for the continent, Italy’s leader said her government was ready to open legal routes into the country for more people. But she also called for greater efforts to prevent migrants from making the dangerous Mediterranean crossing.

Last week, the European Union announced $1.1 billion in aid to help Tunisia, a prominent departure point for migrants, with its economy, including $111 million specifically earmarked for tightening borders and cracking down on human traffickers.

Greater Cooperation And Solidarity

The conference emphasised the need for integrated solutions to address the root causes of irregular migration. Participants called for international cooperation to safeguard migrants’ well-being and dignity, considering scores of lives getting lost each year through illegal routes.

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Sheikh Mohamed was received by Meloni at the headquarters of the Italian Ministry of Foreign Affairs. He stressed the UAE’s strong belief in international collective action to address shared global challenges and ensure a prosperous future for coming generations.

The Emirati leader counted climate change among the main drivers of irregular migration, explaining the upcoming COP28 summit in the UAE later this year will aim to tackle the impacts of climate change and back the implementation of outcomes from previous conferences.