Foreign Affairs Minister George Vella this morning expressed disappointment that some European states had already disagreed with the European Commission’s proposed distribution of refugees.
Dr Vella was speaking at a conference organised by the Africa-Europe Development Platform on how to prevent irregular and dysfunctional migration.
Like fellow speakers, he spoke about the advantages of allowing migrants to spend some time working, studying or training in Europe, and then invest their acquired skills and savings in their country of origin.
Malta, he said, had over the past years faced a constant challenge of migration as increasing numbers of migrants, mainly from sub-Saharan Africa crossed into Europe through North Africa.
“We had to face this pressure with our own devices as a country on the frontline of what has now become an emergency. What started as a trickle has now become a flood,” he said.
The minister noted that stability could only be achieved through a holistic policy that protected vulnerable people but also impinged on countries of origin, countries of transit and the process of reception.
“Ideally we should reduce the incentives for irregular migration by intensifying our cooperation and humanitarian assistance with countries of origin through regional development and protection programmes, and equitable implementation of a return policy for migrants who do not qualify for humanitarian protection,” he said.
Dr Vella also referred to strengthening the presence at sea through EU-joint operations in the Mediterranean so that lives were saved and borders were managed better.
Meanwhile, the EU was obtaining the necessary authorisation through the UN Security Council and cooperation with the Libyan authorities to physically stop smugglers from their illicit trade in human life, he added.
However, while the EU was not short of legislation on migration, it lacked proper reinforcement of internal solidarity and responsibility sharing through a fair distribution mechanism.
“European countries need to show greater solidarity and responsibility when it comes to people in need of international protection, based on fair criteria that do not leave countries like Malta to shoulder disproportionate responsibilities,” he insisted.
The EU should also embark on a new policy of legal migration that would not only make the process more humane, but would also provide the much needed workforce to replace the demographic deficit resulting from dwindling birth rates, Dr Vella said.