Italy is working on both sides of the Mediterranean to prevent migration. It cooperates with transit countries and makes life difficult for private sea rescuers. The number of arrivals is falling – but criticism is increasing.

IIs this a success of the Italian government's migration policy or just a result of bad weather? This year, according to the Interior Ministry, 6,560 boat migrant arrivals were registered in Rome as of March 15. In the same period last year there were 19,937. Last weekend, with stable high-pressure weather, the number of arrivals on the island of Lampedusa promptly increased again. On Saturday and Sunday alone, eleven boats carrying a further 546 people reached Italy's southernmost outpost in the Mediterranean. The boats came from Libya and Sfax in Tunisia, authorities said. The reception center on the small island, designed for around 400 people, is currently occupied by 600 migrants.

Prime Minister Giorgia Meloni was in Cairo on Sunday, together with EU Commission President Ursula von der Leyen. Austrian Chancellor Karl Nehammer, Belgian Prime Minister Alexander De Croo and Greek Prime Minister Kyriakos Mitsotakis were also present at the signing of several agreements between the EU and individual member states of the Union with Egypt. Meloni described the agreements as “historic” with a total volume of 7.4 billion euros – 5 billion euros in low-interest loans, 1.8 billion euros in investments, 400 million euros for bilateral projects and 200 million euros for programs related to migration. Meloni said she was “proud of the role Italy played in achieving this goal” and praised the “global and strategic partnership between Egypt and the EU”. Numerous crises could destabilize the Mediterranean “to an unimaginable extent,” warned Meloni, citing food, water and energy security as well as development and migration as common challenges.