The recent new tragedy in the Sicilian Channel, in which more than 700 people were killed, compels us to think carefully about migration and the future of Europe.

The instability in the countries of the southern Mediterranean and the Middle – East did significantly increase the number of immigrants who run away for political and economic reasons.

These are people who escape from countries in the grip of poverty, dictatorship and war, that cannot guarantee a minimum of security and support to an increasing population.

Europe cannot remain impassive and insensitive concerning this very serious situation.

On the contrary, a strong commitment of Europe to implement an immediate and medium-term program is needed.

It seems not to be postponed the construction of a permanent structured cooperation for the control of external borders of Europe so in the South, as in the East.

However, a commitment to eradicate the root of the very reasons for despair that brings millions of people to migrate in search of fortune, very often at the cost of life itself, is necessary.

Europe should be given the competences and the legitimacy to act, to deal with the complexity and urgency of this situation. And it is necessary for Europe to have the powers and resources in foreign policy, security, migration and asylum.

Europe has got in the African continent many elements of material progress, such as vaccines and medical treatment, without a durable commitment, to date, to trigger economic development processes in situations of long-term democratic development. The result was that death by starvation or civil wars replaced the death by disease. Today in Africa people are dying much less than a hundred years ago, but who lives there, has got less and less resources available and is driven by the logic of survival to seek these resources elsewhere, in illusory worlds.

The year 2015 marks a considerable acceleration of this situation and it has become clear that the current devices are no longer able to cope with this emergency, making the consequences of this increase of migratory flows only fall down the countries closer to the African and eastern coasts.

The human cost of this situation has become unbearable for the conscience of Europe. Moral obligation to act is added to the political need. It is no longer ignored that there are some links between the organizers of human trafficking that feed these migration flows, organized crime and international terrorism.

Illegal immigration feeds the mafia and terrorist networks; the victims of mafia operations among the survivors are added to the dead. Breaking the vicious circle of poverty, fear, exploitation of entire populations, is also a way to fight the gangrene of terrorism.

These are the points on which Europe must think very carefully to operate promptly and decisively.

The peoples of Europe were unanimous in the emotion felt last Sunday during the announcement of this new humanitarian disaster off the Italian coasts, at the gates of Europe.

They are no longer willing to accept the European Union institutions that do not mobilize to seek a lasting solution.

The peoples of Europe do not recognize themselves anymore in a powerless Europe that denies its values of human solidarity.

Roma, venerdì 24 aprile 2015
Le Président européen de l’AEDE
Silvano MARSEGLIA

Strasbourg, vendredi 24 avril 2015
Le Secrétaire Général de l’AEDE
Jean-Claude GONON