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According to Italian Interior Minister Matteo Piantedosi, Libya and Tunisia’s close cooperation thwarted attempts of 121,000 migrants to arrive in Italy in 2023, including people whose bodies were recovered from the sea.
Piantedosi’s statements came during Convention Implementing the Schengen Agreement session, where he stressed the success of joint efforts in arresting 550 smugglers during the years 2022 and 2023, according to the Italian News Agency (ANSA.)
The minister explained that 157,000 migrants arrived, including 17,000 unaccompanied minors, who were registered during the past year, compared to 105,000 in 2022, including 14,000 minors.
Piantedosi added that “this data does not correspond to the government’s goal, but there could have been higher numbers if we had not adopted the measures that we have adopted in recent months,” and continued that the reception system “has withstood the extraordinary influx, as about 140,000 migrants are being hosted.” currently”.
Libya and Tunisia are the main starting points for migrants seeking to reach Europe via the Italian coast from North Africa.