IOM underscored the need for regular migration pathways at a one-day summit in Rome hosted by Italy to boost development in Africa and curb migration flows. The A Bridge for Common Life conference represented a critical opportunity to examine “unified and sustainable mechanisms to stop further needless loss of human life on treacherous routes,” said Amy Pope, the agency’s Director…
More than 11,600 unaccompanied children have crossed the Central Mediterranean to Italy so far this year the UN Children’s Fund (UNICEF) said on Friday, an increase of 60 per cent compared with last year. The number of arrivals peaked this month on small island of Lampedusa off Italy’s southern coast, with 4,800 people arriving on…
The International Organization for Migration (IOM); the UN refugee agency, UNCHR; and the UN Children’s Fund (UNICEF) also called for coordinated search and rescue mechanisms. The tragedy occurred between Thursday 3 August and Friday 4 August, and to date, only four survivors have been rescued – all by a merchant vessel. The survivors, brought…
A pregnant woman and a young child died when two boats carrying scores of migrants sank in rough seas off the Italian island of Lampedusa on Sunday, according to media reports. The boats had reportedly departed from Sfax, Tunisia, and many of the passengers were believed to be from sub-Saharan African countries. In a statement…
This year, the number of migrant children drowning in the Mediterranean has doubled; Photo: File Geneva: The United Nations report revealed that 289 children died trying to cross the Mediterranean Sea this year and this number is several times higher than last year. According to the World News Agency, the United Nations report said that…
The figure is equivalent to about 11 children dying each week, “far beyond what we hear in news headlines,” Vera Knaus, the agency’s Global Lead on Migration and Displacement, told journalists attending the biweekly UN humanitarian briefing in Geneva. “We cannot continue to ignore what is happening – stand by silently when nearly 300 children…
Russian warship Admiral Gorshkov, file photo A Russian warship rescued 68 people from a boat in the Mediterranean Sea late at night. The Russian Defense Ministry said in its statement that the ship Admiral Gorshkov received a call for help from the boat Avalon. A Russian ship and a cargo boat carried out a successful…
Duty to rescue people in distress In a joint statement, refugee agency UNHCR and migration agency IOM, said that the duty to rescue people in distress at sea without delay was a “fundamental” rule of the international maritime law. They underscored that the current approach to Mediterranean Sea crossings – one of the world’s most…
Two ships have been sent to search for the emigrants; Photo: File Rome: A boat carrying migrants has gone missing off Italy’s southernmost island, with two ships searching for it unsuccessfully. According to the World News Agency, the boat carrying the refugees entered the high seas in the Mediterranean 320 kilometers (200 miles) north of…
Since 2014, over 26,000 people have died or gone missing crossing the Mediterranean Sea. Most of these deaths or disappearances, over 20,000, occurred in the Central Mediterranean, considered among the deadliest migration routes in the world. “We are seeing a steep increase in the number of desperate people putting their lives at grave risk,” said…
