Matteo Renzi's proposed migration
compact to help African countries of migrant origin and transit
goes in the "right direction", European Commission President
Jean-Claude Juncker said in Rome Friday. He declined to comment
on how the project should be funded but stressed that "the
Italian programme is line with the agenda that the EC has had
for many months". The compact aims to help 16 African countries,
starting with seven - Tunisia, Egypt, Ghana, Niger, Nigeria,
Ivory Coast and Senegal - to boost their economies and encourage
would-be migrants to stay at home. German Chancellor Angela
Merkel on Thursday said she backed the project but was against
Renzi's idea of funding it with new 'eurobonds'. She said that,
instead, the money should be taken from the existing EU budget
for development aid, boosted by a budget flexibility clause in
the EU's Stability and Growth Pact.
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