At a summit held in Rome by Italy, the IOM emphasized the importance of establishing consistent routes for migration to promote development in Africa and reduce migration numbers.

The A Bridge for Common Life conference provided a crucial chance to discuss ways to prevent unnecessary loss of human life on dangerous paths, according to Amy Pope, Director General of the agency, who attended the summit.

‘A stark reminder’ 

She emphasized that every single death is tragic and unacceptable, and highlighted the need for a comprehensive strategy that supports safe and regulated migration routes, which is a crucial priority for IOM, in order to benefit both migrants and countries.

According to IOM, Italy is aiming to enhance its position as a link between Europe and Africa by promoting a collaborative and equitable approach to development. The summit is occurring during a period of increasing numbers of individuals who are believed to have perished or gone missing while at sea.

Missing and presumed dead 

In the past six weeks, three ships originating from Libya, Lebanon, and Tunisia have disappeared with a total of 158 individuals on board. Despite efforts by the IOM, 73 people from these missing vessels have been declared missing and assumed deceased.

On Wednesday, officials saved 62 migrants near Cape Greco in the southeast of Cyprus. These individuals had departed from Lebanon on January 18. The majority are currently receiving medical treatment and are reported to be in a very serious state, including multiple critically ill children. Tragically, one of the children has passed away.

Seven bodies that washed up on the coast of Antalya, Turkey are thought to be part of a group of 85 migrants who went missing after leaving Lebanon on December 11th.

The yearly count of fatalities and missing individuals among migrants in the Mediterranean region increased from 2,048 in 2021 to 2,411 in 2022, and reached 3,041 by the conclusion of the previous year, as reported by the Missing Migrants Project database of IOM.

Put your resources towards promoting sustainable growth.

Over 20 leaders from Africa and Europe, along with delegates from UN agencies, the World Bank, and other groups, were present at the conference held in Rome.

Amina Mohammed, the Deputy Secretary-General of the United Nations, emphasized the need to increase investment in order to help Africa achieve the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) and meet the 2030 deadline. Currently, progress towards the SDGs is falling short.

She mentioned her support for the UN Secretary-General’s proposal of a $500 billion yearly stimulus plan for SDGs.

Reform financial system 

“Promoting sustainable development in Africa requires a significant increase in private investments. The involvement of international financial institutions and the private sector is crucial in achieving this goal,” she stated.

Ms. Mohammed emphasized the importance of updating international financial institutions, which were founded almost eight decades ago, to ensure their relevance in the present day.

“The representation of African countries is inadequate and the institutions are not adequately meeting their needs. It is time for the necessary changes to be made,” she stated.

We require novel frameworks to handle emerging technologies and unlock their potential to hasten the achievement of the SDGs.

Source: news.un.org