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Valletta Summit kicks off amid continued drowning tragedy

Xinhua, November 12, 2015 Adjust font size:

Heads of government from European and African countries, together with delegates from international and regional organisations gathered here in Malta on Wednesday for a two-day summit on migration.

On the same day at least 14 people drowned as a boat carrying migrants capsized near western Turkish coast of Canakkale.

The delegates were greeted this afternoon by Maltese Prime Minister Joseph Muscat and President of the European Council Donald Tusk at the Auberge de Castille.

A new monument was erected in the middle of the square in front of the Auberge de Castille, symbolising the unity between Europe and Africa.

Our Lady of Victory church rang bells to mark the start of a minute's silence in remembrance of those thousands of migrants who left their countries in search of a better life but perished on their way to Europe.

The summit was opened by Muscat who spoke of Malta's historical role as a bridge between Europe and Africa. He also stressed that the European Trust Fund due to be launched on the next day would show Europe's belief in Africa's potential and its commitment to work with the continent.

The Valletta Summit on Migration, taking place on November 11 and 12 at the Mediterranean Conference Centre in Valletta, was initially called by the European Council last April. It aims to build on existing cooperation between Europe and Africa.

The meeting brought together the EU member states, 38 other countries engaged in the Rabat and Khartoum processes of the EU-Africa dialogue and representatives of the European Union and African Union Commissions, the United Nations and the International Organization for Migration.

The Summit will focus on five specific areas: addressing the root causes by working to help create peace, stability and economic development; improving work on promoting and organising legal migration channels; enhancing the protection of migrants and asylum seekers, particularly vulnerable groups; tackling more effectively the exploitation and trafficking of migrants and working more closely to improve cooperation on return and readmission. Endit