14/12/2016 (Agence Europe) – On Wednesday 14 December, the European Commission announced that the EU had committed an envelope of €380 million for fighting the root causes of irregular migration to the EU by nationals from the Sahel region and Lake Chad. The projects will be financed by the emergency trust fund for Africa that was launched at the EU-Africa summit in Valletta, Malta, in November 2015. In a press release, European Commissioner for Development Neven Mimica said that the projects will highlight measures aiming to offer migrants and their families sustainable perspectives in their countries of origin. The projects will also highlight the strengthening of regular and secure frameworks for migration that ensure human rights and dignity, he said. This financing decision brings the funding committed to financing these types of project in this region to over €900 million since January 2016. (AN)