EU, Africa fighting human trafficking together - Lamorgese

(ANSA) - ROME, JUL 13 - Italian Interior Minister Luciana Lamorgese said EU and African States are working to combat human trafficking together after taking part in a videoconference on this issue on Monday.
    The meeting was organized by Lamorgese herself and featured her counterparts from Germany, France, Spain, Malta, Libya, Tunisia, Algeria, Morocco and Mauritania and European Commissioners Ylva Johansson and Olivér Várhelyi.
    "It was a fruitful discussion that enables us to strengthen the reciprocal commitment to preventing and combatting migrant trafficking," said Lamorgese.
    "All the countries also agreed on the need to meet the challenge of guaranteeing respect for human rights and dignity of the person and reducing the human suffering of those who are most exposed today to all forms of extortion".
    Home Affairs Commissioner Johansson said that Italy is facing a "challenging situation" in relation to the arrival of migrants via sea but added that "the Commission is on the scene to support Italy".
    There is tension in the southern region of Calabria after a group of 24 migrants, including 13 who are positive for COVID-19, landed at Roccella Ionica on Saturday.
    The group is in quarantine at a facility in the town of Amantea and soldiers are keeping watch 24 hours a day. (ANSA).