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PA

G7 leaders to debate migration on the second day of summit in Italy

The gathering in a luxury resort in Italy’s southern Puglia region is also discussing other major topics.

LEADERS OF G7 countries are turning their attention to migration on the second day of a summit today, seeking ways to combat trafficking and increase investment in countries from where migrants start out on often life-threatening journeys.

The gathering in a luxury resort in Italy’s southern Puglia region is discussing other major topics, such as financial support for Ukraine, the war in Gaza, artificial intelligence and climate change, as well as China’s industrial policy and economic security.

Some divisions appeared to emerge over the wording of the summit’s final declaration, with disagreement reported over the inclusion of a reference to abortion.

Migration is of particular interest to summit host Italy, which lies on one of the major routes into the European Union for people fleeing war and poverty and where Giorgia Meloni’s hard-right party has brought in harsh measures to try to deter migrants and refugees from trying to come to Italy, including restricting the ability of lifeboats to save sinking vessels. 

More than 22,000 people have arrived in Italy by sea so far in 2024, according to UNHCR figures. In 2023, more than 157,000 arrived and nearly 2,000 died or went missing while attempting the perilous Mediterranean crossing.

The United States has also been struggling with a growing number of migrants at its southern border. US President Joe Biden introduced new policies to curb migration after a bill he tried to get through Congress failed to pass.

Immigrant rights advocates filed lawsuits on Thursday over the new policies and it is unclear whether they will be able to withstand the legal challenges in the US courts.

Tackling migration “is a common challenge,” European Council president Charles Michel said after arriving at the summit.

“This is the route that we intend, together with our partners, to put in place: this coalition to fight against the smugglers, these criminal groups which are abusing (vulnerable people) to make money and to destabilise regions and countries across the world,” he said.

Apart from the G7 nations of Canada, France, Germany, Italy, Japan, the United Kingdom and the US, the Italian hosts have also invited several African leaders — Algerian President Abdelmadjid Tebboune, Kenyan President William Ruto and Tunisian President Kais Saied — to press Meloni’s migration and development initiatives.

Pope Francis will also become the first pontiff to address a G7 summit when he delivers a speech on artificial intelligence on Friday.

Other invitees include Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky, Brazilian President Luiz Inacio Lula da Silva, Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi and Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan.

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    Mute Furious George - The Wasp
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    Jun 14th 2024, 10:31 AM

    G7 Becoming less and less important as time goes on. Russia gone to the BRICS WHICH IS OF GROWING IMPORTANCE. APOLOGIES for the caps lock . Saudi has just ditched the dollar for its oil sales. Remember what happened to Libya when that happened

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    Mute Jack Hayes
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    Jun 14th 2024, 11:37 AM

    @Furious George – The Wasp: you could have just TURNED CAPS LOCK off instead of apologising HALFWAY through. Can’t be taken seriously.

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    Mute Furious George - The Wasp
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    Jun 14th 2024, 11:45 AM

    @Jack Hayes: can’t do that on a phone jack. We all need to chill out here. Honest mistake .

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    Mute Furious George - The Wasp
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    Jun 14th 2024, 11:46 AM

    @Jack Hayes: also, I did turn it off when I noticed it. Pray tell me, doth having a good day sir?

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    Mute Chutes
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    Jun 14th 2024, 11:59 AM

    @Furious George – The Wasp: Your use of doth was incorrect. You never heard of backspace on a phone no? Your central point was reasonable and Jack should have attacked your point not yourself.
    Silly little arguments like this serve no purpose!

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    Mute Furious George - The Wasp
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    Jun 14th 2024, 1:01 PM

    @Chutes: agreed. Good day sire

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    Mute Chutes
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    Jun 14th 2024, 1:46 PM

    @Furious George – The Wasp: …and a good day to you m’lud! :)

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    Mute sakk sa
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    Jun 14th 2024, 10:38 AM

    Sleepy Biden dance or learn to walk!

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    Mute Jack Hayes
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    Jun 14th 2024, 11:37 AM

    @sakk sa: He can do both perfectly well.

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    Mute Chutes
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    Jun 14th 2024, 12:17 PM

    @sakk sa: The term Sleepy Biden clearly is a statement that is both designed to and does mark you out, just not in the way you think!

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    Mute Chutes
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    Jun 14th 2024, 11:38 AM

    Levels of migration globally will increase, that much is certain with climate change and war, unless you are eventually willing to shoot the desperate on the beaches they will find ways to enter. You can’t seal borders, they are lines on a map.
    Assuming you are not willing to open fire on innocents, a compassionate human centred approach is the only reasonable approach.
    A migrant who commits a crime above a certain threshold should be taken from the court to the plane, no doubt. Everyone else gets treated with empathy in my book!
    Only collectively can we survive, the more fractured we allow ourselves to become, the less our chances in the medium to long term, not ruling out short term disaster.

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    Mute GE Zall
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    Jun 14th 2024, 11:43 AM

    G7: We need more refugees and Immigrants in Western nations either though the majority of people don’t want them there!
    Hungary: We can’t sustain mass migration and accommodate other cultures who won’t integrate into Western society!
    E.U: F#@k you Hungary, €200m fine

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    Mute Chutes
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    Jun 14th 2024, 11:50 AM

    @GE Zall: I’m sure your phone will ring any minute now with the call for you to go over there and sort it all out!
    Was there a point buried in there somewhere?

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    Mute 9QRixo8H
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    Jun 14th 2024, 3:00 PM

    @GE Zall: Lovely strawman fallacy. #0.9%

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    Mute Chutes
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    Jun 14th 2024, 11:27 AM

    China and Russia are now using USD-backed cryptocurrencies for commodities trade using Hong Kong and Dubai banks. ASI predicted by 2028 from one recently ex OpenAI high level employee. Captured governments worldwide with nationalism and protectionism on the rise. The number of people forced out of their homes around the world last year was the equivalent of the population of London, according to the UN’s refugee agency, means nearly 120 million are displaced worldwide. Conflict has returned! The outlook is dim imo.

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    Mute Thesaltyurchin
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    Jun 14th 2024, 1:34 PM

    ‘cash rules everything around me’

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