Italian envoy offers advice on boosting migration, curbing trafficking
Amid concerns for human trafficking, Stephano De Leo, Italy Ambassador to Nigeria, has advocated stronger legal structures to curb exploitation of migrants.
“What we can do is to offer legal structures to increase migration and to find, apprehend and prosecute those who exploit people interested in migrating,” Mr De Leo said in an interview with the News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) in Abuja.
He stressed that “Migration is a double-standard activity. So, we need to improve the legal structures and channels and fight those who want to exploit migrants.
“These exploiters exploit the interest to migrate for personal reasons and crime-related activities; they need to be stopped.”
The envoy noted that migration connects people and encourages growth and development in both the countries of origin and of destination.
He said it was impossible to stop migration because it “serves as a boosting element in economic prosperity and international relations.
“Migration has always been a boosting element in international relations.
“Migration is a sign of growth and it means people want to make themselves better.”
The ambassador described Nigerians living in Italy as talented people “who think a step ahead of others.”
Nigerians constituted one of the largest African communities living in the European country, he said.
“Italy hosts the biggest Nigerian community in the European Union.
“We have more than 150,000 Nigerians living in Italy. And they are increasingly being integrated into our social structure.
“Also, the third and fourth generations of these people are becoming Italian citizens.
“For me, this is an important bridge in favour of Nigeria because they can create economic bridges and help Italians to understand Nigerians.
“Italy itself is a kind of bridge in the Mediterranean Sea and we do not want to see people running away,” Mr De Leo said.
The envoy added: “We can both (Italy and Nigeria) benefit by creating a relationship and reach an understanding on how we can work together.
“There will be no knowledge sharing between people if they do not connect,” he pointed out.
(NAN)
We have recently deactivated our website's comment provider in favour of other channels of distribution and commentary. We encourage you to join the conversation on our stories via our Facebook, Twitter and other social media pages.
More from Peoples Gazette
Agriculture
FG tasks ECOWAS on leveraging financing strategies for agroecology
The federal government has urged stakeholders in the agriculture and finance sectors in the West Africa region to leverage financing strategies to enhance agroecology practices
Politics
Katsina youths pledge to deliver over 2 million votes to Atiku
“Katsina State is Atiku’s political base because it is his second home.”
Heading 5
My govt’s prudent resource management, institutional reforms produced transformative outcomes: Gov. Sani
The governor also listed the successful utilisation of UBEC intervention funds and implementation of the World Bank-supported BESDA programme as drivers of the success recorded so far.
Hot news Home top
Kenyan police nab 18 Chinese nationals in sting operations against cyber fraud syndicates
Police also found 39 Chinese passports and seven Malaysian passports in the ransacked apartments.
States
58-year-old trader remanded over alleged defilement of minor
The Chief Magistrate U.E. Onochie, consequently, ordered that the defendant be remanded at the Awka Correctional facility.
States
Three Ekiti men in court over alleged possession of hemp
The prosecutor asked the court for adjournment to enable him study the case file and assemble his witnesses.
Heading 2
Mark Carney joking tells Norwegian PM Gahr Støre to loan Canada Man City star Haaland for 2030 World Cup
“Interoperability also means sharing crews.
And in the next World Cup, if you could share Erling Haaland with us, that would be greatly, greatly appreciated,” Mr Carney.
States
Enugu shuts four private hospitals over failure to meet regulatory requirements
This is contained in a statement on Thursday in Enugu by the Public Relations Officer of the Ministry of Health, Chidiogo Ugodu.
