Italian Premier Matteo Renzi on
Monday vowed during a government meeting in Rome to appeal for
more commitment from the European Union and the United Nations
on tackling undocumented immigration.
"Italy will return with determination to ask more
commitment on the part of the United Nations and the European
Union," in view of Italy's upcoming six-month presidency of the
EU Council, Renzi said during a summit on the Mare Nostrum sea
patrol and rescue mission in the Mediterranean.
The administration of Renzi's predecessor Enrico Letta set
up Mare Nostrum to prevent further deaths at sea following two
migrant ship disasters in October 2013 in which around 400
people died.
Monday's high level meeting, which included the ministers
of defence, the interior and foreign affairs, as well as the
national head of police, was held to assess Mare Nostrum "for
its positive action tackling organized crime, which has brought
the arrest of 207 human traffickers" and saved human lives, "but
also its critical issues, especially the commitment on the part
of the United Nations and the European Union".
According to Italian Interior Minister Angelino Alfano,
more than 20,500 migrants have already landed on Italy's coasts
to date this year - an enormous increase over the 2,500 reported
during the same period in 2013.
Thousands more have arrived since he spoke earlier this
month, heightening the concerns about Italy's ability to cope.
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