Migrant arrivals fell in Sept-Frontex (3)

(ANSA) - Brussels, October 18 - The number of migrant arrivals in Italy via the central Mediterranean route fell by over two-thirds in September compared to the same month last year, dropping to to 5,600, Frontex said Wednesday.
    The number rose on the previous month, however, due to higher levels of migrants arriving from the Tunisian and Algerian coasts, reported the EU border agency. The total number of arrivals in the first nine months of the year was about 104,800, 21% fewer than in the same period of the previous year.
    "The third quarter of 2017 saw the lowest number of irregular migrants in the Central Mediterranean for the July-September period since 2014," Frontex said.
    "In recent weeks, the number of people claiming to be from the North African countries, mainly Tunisia and Algeria, has risen, followed by nationals of sub-Saharan countries - Nigeria, Ivory Coast and Guinea".
    European Council President Donald Tusk said on the eve of an EU summit that the Italian government under Premier Paolo Gentiloni had begun to curb migrant flows effectively. He noted that it was "thanks to Italy" that the number of undocumented migrants and migrant deaths had finally begun to drop following an agreement with Libya and a mission to support the North African State's coast guard. Tusk urged the EU to step up its efforts to help and added that member states would have to be prepared to work harder and put more money into the Trust Fund for Africa.