Renzi migrant proposal 'right direction' (2)

(ANSA) - Rome, May 6 - 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.