ROME : Interior Minister Matteo Piantedosi announced during the 18th Conference of Italian Ambassadors held in Rome.

Addressing a session titled “The Migration Challenge: An International Priority,” Piantedosi said the figures confirm the effectiveness of Italy’s current migration strategy. “This is the second year in which we have achieved a reduction in irregular migration flows to our country by more than 60 percent,” he said, adding that the results demonstrate Italy is on the “right path.”

Piantedosi also highlighted a significant rise in deportations, noting that Italy is close to surpassing 6,000 deportations, a marked increase compared to previous years. He further pointed to growing interest in voluntary supported return programmes, which allow migrants to return to their countries of origin with assistance.

Italian Foreign Minister Antonio Tajani, also speaking at the conference, underlined the need to go beyond border controls. He stressed the importance of combating criminal networks involved in migrant smuggling and addressing the root causes of migration to achieve long-term solutions.

Calling the reduction in irregular arrivals an “exceptional achievement,” Tajani noted that Italy continues to lead the European Union in the number of irregular arrivals. As of December 9, around 64,000 migrants had reached Italian shores by sea.

“A global phenomenon like migration requires close cooperation between countries of origin, transit and destination,” Tajani said, emphasising that international coordination remains key to managing migration effectively.

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