CNN —EU chief Ursula von der Leyen has pledged action to help Italy’s crisis-hit island of Lampedusa during a visit on Sunday, after the island was left struggling to cope with an influx of migrants.
Von der Leyen visited a migrant reception center on the island after the Italian Prime Minister called on European leaders to help more.
The island has recently seen an uptick in migrant crossings, with Italian authorities saying Thursday that 7,000 people had arrived in just two days, prompting the local mayor and the United Nations refugee agency to warn the Italian island is becoming overwhelmed.
The Italian prime minister and EU chief met Sunday to “offer a coordinated response by the Italian and European authorities,” according to von der Leyen.
Meanwhile, von der Leyen championed legal pathways and humanitarian corridors as measures to counter “smugglers’ lies.”“We will offer migrants real alternatives through this humanitarian admission.
Persons:
Ursula von der Leyen, Von der Leyen, Giorgia Meloni, von der Leyen, “, von der, ” Lampedusa, Cecilia Fabiano, LaPresse, ” Meloni, ’, ”, Von der, Filippo Mannino, agency’s, San Marino, Chiara Cardoletti
Organizations:
CNN, EU, Italian, European Union, United Nations, European Commission, UN, UNHCR, International Organization for Migration
Locations:
Lampedusa, Italian, Africa, Europe, European, Italy, San, Tunisia, Libya