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EU's Tusk hopes Valletta action plan offers alternatives to migrants

Xinhua, November 12, 2015 Adjust font size:

President of the European Council Donald Tusk on Thursday said Europe was committed to giving migrants other options, after the European Commission decided to establish a fund worth at least 1.8 billion euros (1.93 billion U.S. dollars) for Africa.

"We are under no illusions that we can improve the situation overnight. But we are committed to giving people alternatives to risking their lives," Tuck told a press conference following a two-day summit on migration here that ended Thursday.

The summit, attended by 63 European and African leaders, generated an an action plan to further address root causes of migrant crisis.

Besides the two-billion-euro fund, Tusk said leaders also agreed on "a long list of very concrete actions" to be implemented by the end of 2016.

For example, the EU will launch projects to enhance employment opportunities in regions of origin and transit for migrants in East, North and West Africa.

The bloc will also establish a regional development and protection program in the Horn of Africa and North Africa by mid-2016.

Besides, a joint investigation team in Niger will be set up against migrant smuggling and trafficking as a pilot project; possibly to be used in other countries or regions if useful.

Tusk added that some African immigration officials would be invited to Europe to help verify and identify the nationalities of irregular migrants.

"None of us can manage the phenomenon on our own," Tusk said. "We now need to get moving on implementing it, in partnership and solidarity." Endit