Food crisis in Africa may trigger a new wave of migrants hitting Europe – Italian Dy. Prime Minister

Rome: If the possible ‘grain deal’ in Russia-Ukraine fails, it is feared that the African continent will face a terrible food shortage and starvation crisis. Italy’s Deputy Prime Minister Antonio Tajani warned that if there is a food shortage in African countries, the refugees from these countries may once again hit Europe. A few days ago, the ‘Frontex Agency’ of the European Union pointed out that the influx of refugees from the Mediterranean region into Europe has increased by more than 300 per cent. In this background, the warning of the Deputy Prime Minister of Italy becomes important.

The term ‘grain deal’ between Russia and Ukraine ends on May 18. Through this agreement, grain from Ukraine is being exported to countries in Africa and Asia by sea. If the agreement fails to get an extension, the supply of food grains to these countries will likely stop. If this supply is blocked, the food shortages and hunger crisis in African countries may worsen. The leaders of Italy expressed the fear that millions of citizens in African countries would be affected by it.

If this happens, large numbers of refugees from African countries will once again hit European countries, warned Deputy Prime Minister Antonio Tajani. Tajani also claimed that other European countries, including Italy, are trying to prevent the food crisis from affecting African countries.

In countries like Greece, Italy and Spain, the huge influx of illegal immigrants has started again. In 2022, more than 160,000 refugees entered southern European countries using the Mediterranean route alone. Compared to 2021, the number of refugees has increased by more than 30 per cent. The same trend continues this year, and illegal refugees are entering in large numbers.

Furthermore, Frontex, the leading organisation of the European Union, has recently released the information in this regard. A record influx of refugees has started from the two parts of the Mediterranean region, the Central Mediterranean and the Western Mediterranean. More than 30,000 refugees have infiltrated the ‘Central Mediterranean region alone in the four months between January and April. This includes refugees from African countries as well as Pakistan.

Moreover, Frontex said there had been an increase of 305 per cent in infiltration compared to 2022. “We have never seen such a record influx of refugees in this area,” claimed Hans Leijtens, head of Frontex. Leijtens pointed to a 1,100 per cent increase in refugees entering Europe from Tunisia alone. Besides, Frontex chiefs have also warned that human trafficking gangs have changed their ‘modus operandi’.

Earlier, in the last decade, the ‘open door policy’ adopted by the German government had led to a huge increase in the number of refugees entering Europe. In 2015, the number of refugees entering Europe from the Mediterranean Sea reached one million.

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