Brussels 22.07.2023 Mediterranean and Middle East countries will meet in Rome on Sunday, July 23, to boost efforts to stem illegal migration flows, with Italy explaining the aim is to help countries in Africa in order to reduce the impetus for migrants to reach Europe.

The meeting will focus on building partnerships for projects in various sectors including agriculture and health, an Italian government statement announced on Friday, July 21.

“The conference aims to govern the migration phenomenon, combat human trafficking and promote economic development according to a new model of cooperation between states,” the statement reads.

Planned participants include Tunisia, Turkey, Libya, Algeria and the United Arab Emirates, along with the European Union officials and the IMF, the Italian media reports.

However France, a major Mediterranean power which clashed with Italy last year over immigration, was not expected to attend the event and its absence casts shadow of doubt on success of the event in absence of one of the major players.

Prime Minister Giorgia Meloni, who has faced migrant landings surge in Italy this year, has made it a priority to engage other nations in plans to block people from embarking on the perilous journey to Europe via Mediterranean sea.

Meloni, who has led a right-wing coalition since October 2022, has so far failed in her efforts to stem the visible increase. Some 83,400 people have come ashore so far this year, compared with almost 34,000 in 2022.

The Italian government announced that the conference would also discuss issues related to climate change and energy, as the country moves to implement an energy cooperation initiative with Africa, the so-called “Mattei plan,” named after the post-war founder of Italy’s energy group Eni.

The conference comes just a week after the European Union signed a partnership deal with Tunisia, one of the hot spots for migrant departures, pledging up to 1 billion euros ($1.1 billion) in aid to combat human smugglers and help its battered economy.