Italy-Ghana:  Favilli , to fight illegal migration is our priority

Accra - Italian Ambassador Giovanni Favilli is actively taking part in the Migration Round Table "Migration should be a choice, not a necessity" Vis (Volontariato Internazionale per lo Sviluppo), with the Salesians of Don Bosco, the campaign "Stop Tratta" and the European Union put in place every year with the aim of "working together for a change". This year meeting, held in Accra, is a stakeholders platform against irregular migration and human trafficking. This platform is carrying on activities and actions in Ghana, Senegal, Sierra Leone, Mali, Burkina Faso and Ethiopia. In Ghana, the network was born in May 2015. As is well known Italy and other members of the European Union have been observing the rising trend of irregular migration with alarm and have been taking a number of steps to address the issue. For the Italian ambassador in Ghana this is one of those steps.

- WHAT ARE THE PILLARS OF THE ITALIAN IMMIGRATION POLICY?
The Italian Immigration Policy is quite based on three main pillars. Firstly is to mention the fight against human trafficking which has already given great results. One for all is the progressively decrease in the arrivals of illegal immigrants on the Italian shores. Beside we have spent these last few years saving hundreds of thousands of human lives in danger in the Mediterranean sea, even though the truth is that hundreds have lost their lives while crossing the desert before reaching the North African shores. That said, we are also aware of the difficult situation in the Libyan detention and collection centers filled to the top with illegal immigrants and this is another issue we are trying to handle. This is to stress how repression against human trafficking is our first line of defense put in place to tackle illegal immigration. The second pillar of our National Immigration Policy is to address directly the causes of the illegal immigration to their roots: in few words is to help to reduce level of poverty and bring up development in the departure countries. The third pillar is based on detecting the rights of those few whom are really in need of fleeing their countries for their own safety, I mean the asylum seekers. As is well known less then a few of the huge number of immigrants who try to claim the status of asylum seekers, swearing that if they go back to their countries they will face persecution or serious consequences, are worth of that status. For those refugees Italy is engaged in easing the process to get the documents and to have their rights globally recognized and to eventually make them feel protected. 

- WHAT KIND OF ACTIONS IS THE ITALIAN EMBASSY PUTTING IN PLACE?
Ghana doesn't alarm us too much given that it doesn't fall between the first 10 countries for number of arrivals, even though here as well Italy is engaged with the local authorities to reach and ease the identification process of immigrants already headed in Italy illegally, in order to activate a smooth and swift repatriation process. Our Embassy in Ghana is also engaged in project in the field, with such partner as Vis - Volontari Italiani or the project "Aware Migrants", also funded by our Minister of Interior, to raise awareness on the dangers linked with embarking in the immigration journey through illegal routes. I then have to say that Italy is one of the main donor at the European Trust Fund put in place to address the aspects of the problem linked with the repression but also with the need to give a boost to the economical development in the origin countries as a way to address the roots of the immigration causes.

- HOW MUCH OF A DETERRENT COULD BE ANY COMMUNICATION CAMPAIGN?Unfortunately less than a bit. A complaint we are used to comes from those returnees whom made it to come back safe after the trip through the desert and the Mediterranean sea or after they changed their mind in the middle of the fleeing process. Their regret is that when they try to dissuade others to do the same, nobody believes them. There is no such thing as a history of injustice or abuse that is immediately believed, but there is no doubt about being in front of someone who is selfish and only tells such stories to keep the best for himself, instead of being honest on the good things the "greener lands" can offer them.

- IT MEANS THAT THERE IS A CULTURAL ISSUE TO ADDRESS TOO? 
This is definitely true and that is one reason why Italy has also put in place a cultural policy that of course is linked with a dedicated annual budget. Just to say a number of initiatives that take place annually in the world, I can mention the Italian Design Week and the Week of the Italian Cuisine to promote and sustain the Italian excellencies abroad and enhance investment and business with the aim of give a boost to the development of the origin countries.