Brussels, 11/12/2015 (Agence Europe) - The first projects financed by the new emergency trust fund of the EU to fight the deep-rooted causes of illegal migration in Africa will be presented by the European Commission in mid-January 2016.
This is the promise made by European Commissioner for International Cooperation and Development Neven Mimica at the informal meeting of development cooperation ministers from the EU member states, which was held in Luxembourg on Wednesday 9 and Thursday 10 December. Launched in mid-November, the fund is expected to be equipped with €1.8 billion (see EUROPE 11429).
The Commission could present an initial package of projects for the Horn of Africa and Sahel region in mid-January, trying to find a balance between implementing actions as quickly as possible and ensuring the political relevance of the projects, said Mimica, as stated in a press release from the Luxembourg Presidency of the Council. This relevance will be assessed according to three pillars - strengthening the resilience of the migrants' original societies, creating economic and social opportunities within these societies, and strengthening the management of migration.
Among the other subjects mentioned at this meeting are the ongoing negotiations at COP21 and the 2030 agenda for sustainable development. (Original version in French by Jan Kordys)