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The Real Story: Europe's migration standoff

Factual

Europe's migration standoff

19/07/2019 GMT

BBC World Service - The Real Story, Europe's migration standoff

Is it time for the EU to forge a new pact on migration and asylum?

The Italian government has been calling on European countries to come up with a new plan to absorb migrants reaching its shores via the Mediterranean Sea. A tougher approach to migration was one of the campaign promises of the deputy prime minister Matteo Salvini, and after his League party's victory in 2018, Italy banned migrant rescue ships from docking in its ports. The actual number of migrants arriving in Italy by sea has been going down every year since 2016, when the European Union began to train the Libyan and Tunisian coast guard to intercept migrant boats and return them to North Africa. But the UN says migrants are being held in appalling conditions at detention centres in Libya, and the fighting there is endangering their lives. So, is it time for Europe to reconsider its partnership with Libya? Why are European countries failing to agree on a plan to help out Italy? And how much of the concern expressed by Italy are motivated by political reasons? Join Ritula Shah and guests as they discuss Europe's migration standoff.

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