VALLETTA, Feb. 3 (Xinhua) -- European leaders agreed Friday on an action plan to stem the migration flow into Europe along the Central Mediterranean route during an informal summit in Malta.
According to the plan, priorities will be given to training, equipment and support to the Libyan national coast guard, further efforts to disrupt smuggling business, supporting the development of local communities in Libya, adequate reception capacities and conditions in Libya for migrants and support to international organisations dealing with the migration issue.
"The European Union is strengthening the mainstreaming of migration within its Official Development Assistance for Africa, which amounts to 31 billion euros during this financial period. Some of the actions can be funded within projects already underway, notably projects funded by the EU Trust Fund for Africa as appropriate, which mobilizes 1.8 billion euros from the EU budget and 152 million euros from Member States' contributions," said EU leaders in the Malta Declaration adopted at the ongoing informal summit.
To cover the most urgent funding needs now and throughout 2017, the European Commission has decided to mobilize as a first step an additional 200 million euros for the North Africa window of the Fund and to give priority to migration-related projects concerning Libya.
