The meeting aims to revisit a delayed deal on distributing asylum seekers who enter Europe through unconventional routes, and to contemplate partnering with Egypt to curb Mediterranean departures, Reuters reported.
While a recent pact with Tunisia has faced criticism for human rights shortcomings, increased arrivals in Lampedusa have heightened Italy's concerns, especially after the country’s Prime Minister Giorgia Meloni's anti-immigration electoral win last year.
A senior EU diplomat noted the growing unease in Europe's immediate vicinity and predicted that "a majority will likely favor more such agreements".
All eyes are on Germany's Interior Minister, Nancy Faeser, who might introduce a coalition agreement in Brussels that supports the "crisis mechanism" for equitable migrant distribution across the bloc. This comes after Germany, which is ahead of local elections in Bavaria, reported an almost 80% spike in asylum applications this year and instated border checks with Poland and the Czech Republic.
(jh)
Source: PAP, Reuters
