Cote d'Ivoire proposes wide-ranging actions to end illegal migration

Cote d'Ivoire authorities on Monday proposed wide-ranging actions to end illegal migration by youths.

Speaking during a press conference in Abidjan, director for Cote d'Ivoire nationals in the diaspora, Issiaka Konate, expressed his sadness and bitterness over the growing phenomenon of illegal migration.

"This phenomenon fundamentally affects African youths, especially those from Cote d'Ivoire, due to the negative effects of social network sites, encouraged by networks of smugglers," Konate said.

He lamented over the fact that most of those illegal immigrants "die unnecessarily" before reaching their destinations.

"The youths should learn to use the existing legal ways for obtaining visas," he said.

He said it is important to go to the root of this phenomenon to make the youths understand the risks they expose themselves to by opting for boats that continue to claim thousands of lives of youths.

According to Konate, the people must be courageous enough to inform authorities about the networks of smugglers or the organizers of the illegal journeys so that they can be dismantled.

According to Konate, today, there are some 1.24 million Cote d'Ivoire nationals living across the world.

In the first five months of this year, 3,156 people coming from Cote d'Ivoire arrived in Italy through the sea.

According to organizations involved in the fight against illegal migrations, in the last 20 years, about 20,000 people have lost their lives while attempting to reach Europe through the Mediterranean sea. Enditem