Malta and Nigeria have signed an agreement for the repatriation of Nigerian migrants who arrive in Malta irregularly.

The agreement, described by the government as ‘important’ was signed in Brussels by Foreign Minister George Vella and his Nigerian counterpart Aminu Wali.

It follows a meeting yesterday between Prime Minister Joseph Muscat and Nigerian President Goodluck Jonathan. They are in Brussels for the EU-Africa summit.

There are 155 Nigerians in Malta awaiting repatriation.

The government said the agreement includes safeguards for the human rights of the migrants.

The two sides also agreed to collaborate to track down human traffickers.

Meanwhile Dr Muscat welcomed a plan of action to tackle migration, agreed during the summit.

This, he said, was another step forward for concrete solutions to be achieved for this problem and Malta would continue to press for effective measures to be brought into force.

It was significant, he said, that the EU was discussing migration not only within itself but also with the African countries. The African countries were also being bound to fight the rackets involved in human trafficking.

See

http://www.consilium.europa.eu/uedocs/cms_Data/docs/pressdata/en/ec/142096.pdf

http://www.consilium.europa.eu/uedocs/cms_Data/docs/pressdata/en/ec/142094.pdf

 

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