Lampedusa: Chaos at island epicentre of European migrant crisis ‘sanitised’ for leaders’ visit

Published

2 years ago

September 17, 2023

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Just before the arrival of the Italian Prime Minister Giorgia Meloni and the EU Commission President Ursula von der Leyen, we made a quick inspection of the island of Lampedusa.

This week more than 11,560 migrants have journeyed to this small, stubbly spot in the central Mediterranean, making it both the location and physical symbol of Europe’s current migration crisis.

What we found, as we viewed the central pier at the port and the reception centre inland, was something of an alternative universe.

On Saturday, hundreds of migrants had queued on the dock as their boats and creaky vessels arrived in port.

On Sunday, we found no one.

At the reception centre, known locally as the “hotspot”, we found local workers sweeping the grounds and picking up litter.

Significantly, the number of migrants housed within the centre has been greatly reduced.

After days of chaos, the island had been sanitised to a certain extent.

This was understandable on grounds of security.

The reception centre has a formal capacity of 400, but there were upwards of 3,000 in the place on Saturday.

At one stage, migrants fought their way out as they complained of hunger, overcrowding and non-existent hygiene provisions.

Presenting such scenes to Ms von der Leyen and Ms Meloni would have been unacceptable – certainly to their security teams.

But when they told a news conference they needed to travel to Lampedusa to better understand the issues, we wondered if they would get the full story.

The commission president said: “It’s very important for me to be here together with you.

“The local community has continued to do its utmost to support the men and women and children who have made it to the island.”

This speedy reimposition of control made for a startling contrast and suggests the Italian authorities do have the capacity to temporarily house and process thousands of migrants on Lampedusa and other coastal communities.

What is in dispute here is responsibility and cost.

Ms Meloni was clear in her remarks that Italy should not bear the full weight of migration and asylum in the EU.

“If we don’t work seriously all together to fight the illegal departures, the numbers of this phenomenon will not only overwhelm the border countries but all of the others,” she said.

The Italian leader may have softened her stance against the EU since coming to power, but she is still advocating for an “efficient” naval blockade of the North African coast.

Additionally, she wants the EU to forge agreements with countries of origin that allow for the rapid repatriation of migrants.

What she got from Ms von der Leyen was a 10-point EU action plan that seemed light on specific details.

Much like British politicians, the commission president did talk about the “ruthless” and “brutal” smugglers and criminal gangs that she blamed for transporting people to Lampedusa.

But the smugglers and gangs are an easy target.

European leaders (including British ones) know the gangs are servicing a near-limitless demand for safety, security and better life outcomes for many in Africa and the Middle East.

Doing something about it is going to take a far longer and more comprehensive action plan.

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Trump’s USAID cuts could lead to 14 million deaths, report warns

Published

2 hours ago

July 1, 2025

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Trump's USAID cuts could lead to 14 million deaths, report warns

Around 14 million people could die across the world over the next five years because of cuts to the US Agency for International Development (USAID), researchers have warned.

Children under five are expected to make up around a third (4.5 million) of the mortalities, according to a study published in The Lancet medical journal.

Estimates showed that “unless the abrupt funding cuts announced and implemented in the first half of 2025 are reversed, a staggering number of avoidable deaths could occur by 2030”.

“Beyond causing millions of avoidable deaths – particularly among the most vulnerable – these cuts risk reversing decades of progress in health and socioeconomic development in LMICs [low and middle-income countries],” the report said.

USAID programmes have prevented the deaths of more than 91 million people, around a third of them among children, the study suggests.

The agency’s work has been linked to a 65% fall in deaths from HIV/AIDS, or 25.5 million people.

Eight million deaths from malaria, more than half the total, around 11 million from diarrheal diseases and nearly five million from tuberculosis (TB), have also been prevented.

USAID has been vital in improving global health, “especially in LMICs, particularly African nations,” according to the report.

Established in 1961, the agency was tasked with providing humanitarian assistance and helping economic growth in developing countries, especially those deemed strategic to Washington.

But the Trump administration has made little secret of its antipathy towards the agency, which became an early victim of cuts carried out by the Department of Government Efficiency (DOGE) – formerly led by Elon Musk – in what the US government said was part of a broader plan to remove wasteful spending.

In March, US Secretary of State Marco Rubio said more than 80% of USAID schemes had been closed following a six-week review, leaving around 1,000 active.

The US is the world’s largest humanitarian aid donor, providing around $61bn (£44bn) in foreign assistance last year, according to government data, or at least 38% of the total, and USAID is the world’s leading donor for humanitarian and development aid, the report said.

Between 2017 and 2020, the agency responded to more than 240 natural disasters and crises worldwide – and in 2016 it sent food assistance to more than 53 million people across 47 countries.

The study assessed all-age and all-cause mortality rates in 133 countries and territories, including all those classified as low and middle-income, supported by USAID from 2001 to 2021.

World

Thai PM Paetongtarn Shinawatra suspended amid outrage over leaked phone call

Published

5 hours ago

July 1, 2025

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Thai PM Paetongtarn Shinawatra suspended amid outrage over leaked phone call

Thailand’s prime minister has been suspended after a leaked phone call with a senior Cambodian politician caused outrage.

An ethics investigation into Paetongtarn Shinawatra is under way and she could end up being dismissed.

The country’s constitutional court took up a petition from 36 senators, who claimed dishonesty and a breach of ethical standards, and voted 7 to 2 to suspend her.

The prime minister’s call with Cambodia’s former leader, Hun Sen, sparked public protests after she tried to appease him and criticised a Thai army commander – a taboo move in a country where the military is extremely influential.

Ms Shinawatra was trying to defuse mounting tensions at the border – which in May resulted in the death of one Cambodian soldier.

Thousands of conservative, nationalist protesters held a demo in Bangkok on Saturday to urge her to step down.

Her party is clinging on to power after another group withdrew from their alliance a few weeks ago over the phone call. Calls for a no-confidence vote are likely.

Deputy prime minister Suriya Juangroongruangkit will take over temporarily while the court looks into the case.

The 38-year-old prime minister – Thailand‘s youngest ever leader – has 15 days to respond to the probe. She has apologised and said her approach in the call was a negotiating tactic.

The popularity of her government has slumped recently, with an opinion poll showing an approval rating of 9.2%, down from 30.9% in March.

Ms Shinawatra comes from a wealthy dynasty synonymous with Thai politics.

Her father Thaksin Shinawatra – a former Manchester City owner – and aunt Yingluck Shinawatra served as prime minister before her – in the early to mid 2000s – and their time in office also ended ignominiously amid corruption charges and military coups.

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Benjamin Netanyahu to meet Donald Trump next week amid calls for Gaza ceasefire

Published

11 hours ago

July 1, 2025

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Benjamin Netanyahu to meet Donald Trump next week amid calls for Gaza ceasefire

Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu will be meeting Donald Trump next Monday, according to US officials.

The visit on 7 July comes after Mr Trump suggested it was possible a ceasefire in Gaza could be reached within a week.

On Sunday, he wrote on social media: “MAKE THE DEAL IN GAZA. GET THE HOSTAGES BACK!!!”

At least 60 people killed across Gaza on Monday, in what turned out to be some of the heaviest attacks in weeks.

According to the Hamas-run health ministry, 56,500 people have been killed in the 20-month war.

The visit by Mr Netanyahu to Washington has not been formally announced and the officials who said it would be going ahead spoke on condition of anonymity.

An Israeli official in Washington also confirmed the meeting next Monday.

White House Press Secretary Karoline Leavitt said the administration was in constant communication with the Israeli government.

She said Mr Trump viewed ending the war in Gaza and returning remaining hostages held by Hamas as a top priority.

The war in Gaza broke out in retaliation for Hamas’ 7 October 2023 attacks on southern Israel that killed 1,200 people and saw a further 250 taken hostage.

An eight-week ceasefire was reached in the final days of Joe Biden’s US presidency, but Israel resumed the war in March after trying to get Hamas to accept new terms on next steps.

Talks between Israel and Hamas have stalled over whether the war should end as part of any ceasefire.