Leaders of ten European Union member states will be meeting in Brussels on Sunday to hold emergency talks over the EU’s migration system.

Marta Foresti, director of the ODI’s Human Mobility Initiative, said: ‘The EU is in disarray on migration and the probability of reaching EU-wide consensus is at an all-time low. So, if a smaller coalition of countries that share real political and economic interests can agree decisive action then the meeting of ten EU member states on Sunday could be a step in the right direction.

‘However, funding asylum assessment centres in Africa and providing more aid to countries of origin will not be enough. These measures to contain migration can only work in combination with concrete initiatives to facilitate mutually beneficial forms of migration, such as temporary work, business or student visas, which are needed in a number of EU states with decreasing working age populations and skills gaps.

‘With the number of arrivals significantly decreased, but a higher proportion of those migrants dying during their journeys, taking concrete steps to address the reality of migration from Africa to Europe could not be more manageable and at the same time more urgent.’

For more information or to arrange an interview with Marta Foresti please contact James Rush on [email protected] or +44 (0)7808 791265

ENDS