EU: The European Commission proposed a 35 per cent increase in aid for Africa, the Caribbean, and the Pacific islands (ACP) yesterday amidst rising concern about illegal migration into the union.
The proposed aid package is worth €22 billion between 2008-2013 and would be shared among the 77 states in the ACP. It was announced as EU and ACP ministers met in Papua New Guinea for talks.
Migration will be high on the agenda for the ministers at the meeting given the high volume of African immigrants currently making the voyage across the Atlantic to the Canary Islands.
Spain is struggling to cope with the influx of migrants from a range of African states and recently requested help from the EU. Several other EU countries including Italy and Malta face similar problems accommodating migrants from Africa, many seeking asylum.
"Migration and development is high on the agenda of the meeting and will be discussed for the first time on ministerial level between the EU and its partners from the ACP," said the commission in a statement. "Managing migration for the benefit of development is a new priority of EU development assistance."
Other topics up for discussion by ministers will be trade, reform of the sugar industry, and the aid proposal from the commission. The ACP-EC council must recommend the adoption of the proposal at the meeting in Papua New Guinea.
The proposal must then be ratified over the next 18 months by all EU member states in order to take effect.