A real collapse. In the central Mediterranean, the journeys of migrants from North Africa and mainly directed towards Italy have drastically reduced in 2024. This is certified by the data released on 13 December by Frontex, the European border control agency. In the first eleven months of this year there were 60% fewer irregular border crossings along the Central Mediterranean route, compared to the same period of 2023. The “preventive measures” put in place affected the reduction in entries. implemented by the authorities of Libya and Tunisia. These are the two countries from which 92% of the people arriving on the Italian coasts come.
Partnership agreements have been signed with the governments of both countries to intensify controls in their territories and prevent departures. A result (also) fruit of the work of Prime Minister Giorgia Meloni. It should be noted that throughout the European Union there has been a decline in the arrivals of migrants without regular entry permits. However, the boom in relatively new routes should also be noted. One is the one that passes from West Africa through the Canary Islands, to then land in Spain. The other is the one in which thousands of men fleeing the war in Ukraine arrive and cross the eastern borders of Europe.
Data on migrants landed in Italy in 2024
Contributing to the approximately 40% drop in irregular migrants in the European Union in the last eleven months was mainly the sharp decline of the Balkan route (-80%), together with that of the Central Mediterranean (-60%). Both affect Italy. According to data from our public security department, the “migrants landed” from January 1, 2024 to December 12, 2024, were 64,234, compared to 153,211 the previous year. As regards the country of origin, Bangladesh dominates with over 13 thousand people, followed by Syria (just over 12 thousand) and Tunisia (around 7,600). Egypt, Guinea, Pakistan, Eritrea, Mali, Sudan and Gambia are the other states from which at least a thousand migrants who arrived in our country come. As regards the data relating to unaccompanied foreign minors, compared to the over 18 thousand entries in 2023, 7,879 arrived this year.
The role of the agreements with Libya and Tunisia
Smiling at these numbers is the government led by Giorgia Meloni, who has made the fight against irregular entries her strong point. The decline in admissions can be mainly attributed to two agreements. One is the Memorandum of Understanding on migration, signed in February 2017, between the Italian and Libyan governments to effectively keep migrants, refugees and asylum seekers out of Europe. At the time the agreement was stipulated by Marco Minniti, Minister of the Interior of the government led by Prime Minister Paolo Gentiloni (Pd). The memorandum was renewed in 2022. The agreement stipulated between the European Union and Tunisia in July 2023 is the direct result of the work of the Prime Minister.
Because the agreements with Libya have made human traffickers more powerful
Even if in this case it was the President of the European Commission Ursula von der Leyen who closed the treaty with President Kaïs Saïed, Meloni’s role was fundamental, together with that of the then Dutch Prime Minister Mark Rutte, now at the helm of NATO. Both agreements, especially the one with Libya, are the subject of numerous reports, journalistic investigations and complaints for violations of human rights, for the inhuman conditions in which migrants are held in detention centers and for the role of the security forces responsible for recovery and transport of migrants, but repeatedly accused of violence. This is what many define as a real “migrant mafia”.
The new routes from West Africa and Ukraine
Data from the Frontex agency also shows the success of the West African route, the one that leads to the Canary Islands, which are part of Spain. 2024 marked a real “record”, with over 41,800 arrivals. The Eastern Mediterranean is also growing (+18%). Migrants leaving the European Union from France across the Channel to reach the United Kingdom are also increasing. This year 62,124 people did so (+6%). This year also marks an increase in entries from the eastern borders and by land, with 16,530 entries (+200%). The vast majority of them are enlisted men, fleeing Ukraine’s war against the Russian invader, which has now lasted for almost three years.
