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EU Should Aid Africa Rather Than Try to Curb Migration - Italian Lawmaker

© AP Photo / Gregorio BorgiaA rubber boat loaded of migrants is seen during a search and rescue mission in the mediterranean sea off the Libyan coasts, Italy, Tuesday, June 23, 2015
A rubber boat loaded of migrants is seen during a search and rescue mission in the mediterranean sea off the Libyan coasts, Italy, Tuesday, June 23, 2015 - Sputnik International
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The European Union must take the fight against the rising inflow of undocumented migrants home to Africa, an Italian delegate at Organization for Security and Co-operation in Europe Parliamentary Assembly (OSCE PA) debates in Helsinki told Sputnik on Monday.

HELSINKI (Sputnik), Svetlana Alexandrova – Sergio Divina from Italy’s Eurosceptic Lega Nord Party said Italy did not have enough money to accommodate tens of thousands of asylum seekers who have made it across the Mediterranean since the start of the year.

"We need to block the immigrant flow right there in Africa and stop immigrants from arriving to Europe through the bilateral agreements," Sergio Divina said.

Africa’s total population has topped 1.1 billion, while its economy can provide for only half of them. "So we are short of development for half a billion people," the lawmaker said.

"It is much more costly to support immigrant in Europe rather than to send money to Africa as an immigrant cost Italy 50 euros [$55] per day," he said.

Migrants sit on the deck of the Belgian Navy vessel Godetia after they were saved at sea during a search and rescue mission in the Mediterranean Sea off the Libyan coasts, Wednesday, June 24, 2015. - Sputnik International
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The lawmaker proposed to help African migrants, who flee due to economic hardships, in the area of their origin. He also suggested limiting the borders of the conflict area in Africa that allows its refugees to appeal for the status of asylum seekers in Europe.

Many African refugees get into southern Europe from Libya. The Islamic State militant group controls over 180 miles of Libyan coast, Divina said, adding the migration problem now comes together with a threat of terrorism.

"We should act accordingly in Libya or may be even further south," he stressed.

Italian authorities have long warned that migrant boats could carry Islamist fighters to Europe.

According to UNHCR, in 2014 some 218,000 people crossed the Mediterranean and at least 3,500 died in the attempt.

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