How Africa
On Monday afternoon, French President Emmanuel Macron will hold a meeting with European leaders (Germany, Italy, Spain) and African leaders (Chad, Niger, Libya) in an attempt to combine efforts in the face of the migratory crisis.
The French president has invited Chadian and Niger presidents Idriss Deby Itno and Mahamadou Issoufou as well as Libyan national leader Fayez al-Sarraj, whose countries are at the heart of migrant transit from Africa and the Middle East Towards the European coasts.
For Europe, German Chancellor Angela Merkel, the Italian and Spanish heads of government Paolo Gentiloni and Mariano Rajoy will be present, as well as the head of European diplomacy Federica Mogherini.
This meeting should be “an opportunity to reaffirm the support of Europe in Chad, Niger and Libya for the control and the controlled management of the migratory flows”, said the French presidency.
At 1 pm GMT, Mr. Macron will meet at the same time with Messrs. Deby and Issoufou, then separately with Angela Merkel and Federica Mogherini, before a joint meeting at 14.55 GMT with all of these participants joined by Mr Sarraj.
“A joint press conference of the heads of delegations” will be organized at the end of this meeting.
The Head of State will then meet with his German, Italian and Spanish partners “to discuss current European issues” at a meeting followed by a working dinner.
Since his arrival at the Elysée, Mr. Macron has taken several initiatives to try to curb the flow of migrants in France and Europe.
In particular, it plans to open examination centers (hotspots) for asylum seekers in Niger and Chad. His intention to do the same in Libya is controversial as this country is in chaos since the fall of Muammar Gaddafi’s regime in 2011.
France will make “proposals” on this subject “at the end of the summer,” said on 9 August the head of diplomacy, Jean-Yves Le Drian.
On the domestic front, Mr. Macron has the ambition of “no one on the street” on the national territory, while many migrants attempting to join Britain are flocking to France.
