Italy has been experiencing a significant increase in the number of immigrant landings, despite the government’s efforts to discourage immigration. In fact, the country saw a 50 per cent increase in the number of immigrant landings last year compared to the year before, with a total of 156,000 individuals, including 17,000 unaccompanied minors, arriving in Italy. This was a significant increase from the 103,846 reported in the previous year.
The month of August emerged as the month with the highest number of landings, recording 25,673 arrivals. As the new year begins, more than 1,000 individuals have already arrived on Italian shores in the first days of 2024 through irregular migration channels.
The prevailing economic and political instability in Tunisia has made its shores the main departure point for individuals seeking to leave the African continent, contributing to the increase in migrant arrivals in Italy. Additionally, the involvement of Russian Wagner mercenaries in West Africa has further fueled this trend, according to the Italian government.
However, the Italian authorities are optimistic that the impact of migration will soften in 2024, as the European Union has reached an agreement on a new pact on migration and asylum. This pact aims to implement measures such as a more equal distribution of asylum seekers among EU member states, offering hope for a more comprehensive approach to managing the migration challenge.
Italy has faced a significant influx of migrants, surpassing one million since 2013, coupled with a worrying death rate that exceeds 28,000 individuals. Data provided by the NGO Save the Children revealed that over 28,000 migrants in the Mediterranean have lost their lives trying to reach Italy, including 1,143 minors. More than 100 minors have suffered tragic fates or gone missing in the Mediterranean this year alone. The peak of immigrant arrivals in Italy occurred in 2016, with 181,000 immigrants arriving there.
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