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Migrant crisis: EU to offer Africa aid at Malta summit Migrant crisis: More drown as EU leaders meet in Malta
(35 minutes later)
EU leaders are expected to offer countries in Africa billions of euros in exchange for help with the migrant crisis at a summit in Malta. Fourteen migrants have drowned in the latest boat sinking as European Union and African leaders gathered in Malta to discuss measures to stem the flow of people into Europe.
The European Commission says it will give €1.8bn (£1.3bn) and it expects EU countries to pledge more. Seven of those who died when a wooden boat sank between Turkey and the Greek island of Lesbos were children.
The aim is to tackle the economic and security problems that cause people to flee, and persuade African countries to take back more failed asylum seekers. Coastguards rescued 27 survivors.
The meeting was planned after about 800 died in a sinking off Libya in April. The meeting in the Maltese capital Valletta was planned after about 800 died in a migrant boat sinking off Libya in April.
Latest from Malta migration summit
The UN says nearly 800,000 migrants have arrived in Europe by sea so far in 2015, while some 3,440 have died or gone missing making the journey.
Some 150,000 people from African countries such as Eritrea, Nigeria and Somalia have made the dangerous journey across the Mediterranean from Africa so far this year, arriving mainly in Italy and Malta.Some 150,000 people from African countries such as Eritrea, Nigeria and Somalia have made the dangerous journey across the Mediterranean from Africa so far this year, arriving mainly in Italy and Malta.
However, the EU's focus has moved east since April, with some 650,000 people - mostly Syrians - arriving via Turkey and Greece and then travelling north through the Balkans. But this has been dwarfed by the arrival of some 650,000 people - mostly Syrians - via Turkey and Greece.
In other developments on Wednesday: BBC world affairs reporter Richard Galpin says the crisis has evolved so quickly since this year that European leaders have been struggling to keep up and formulate any coherent policies.
More than 60 leaders from Africa and Europe, including UK Prime Minister David Cameron, are meeting in the Maltese capital Valletta for the two-day summit. At the two-day Malta summit, EU leaders are expected to offer countries in Africa billions of euros in exchange for help with the migrant crisis.
The European Commission is setting up a €1.8bn "trust fund" for Africa and has urged member states to match that sum. However, there are doubts about whether they will do so.The European Commission is setting up a €1.8bn "trust fund" for Africa and has urged member states to match that sum. However, there are doubts about whether they will do so.
'Population to double' The aim is to tackle the economic and security problems that cause people to flee, and persuade African countries to take back more failed asylum seekers.
Speaking in the Maltese parliament on the eve of the summit, the President of the European Council Donald Tusk said the plan was to make "much more progress on poverty reduction and conflict prevention". African leaders are likely to insist on a much clearer path for smaller numbers of their citizens to migrate officially to Europe, in exchange for help on the crisis, says the BBC's Chris Morris in Malta.
"It also includes the issue of taking back in an efficient manner those who do not yet qualify for a visa, or those who do not require international protection," he said in a statement. Deep divisions
He added that Africa's population was expected to double by 2050 and that action was essential, particularly in light of the strain placed on EU solidarity by refugees arriving from conflicts in the Middle East. Tensions in the EU have been rising because of the pressures faced by those countries where most migrants initially arrive, particularly Greece, Italy and Hungary. Most migrants then head to Germany or Sweden - regarded as the most welcoming to refugees - to claim asylum.
The BBC's Chris Morris in Malta says African leaders are likely to insist on a much clearer path for smaller numbers of their citizens to migrate officially to Europe, in exchange for help on the crisis.
The UN says nearly 800,000 migrants have arrived in Europe by sea so far in 2015, while some 3,440 have died or gone missing making the journey.
The latest deaths came when 14 people drowned after another boat sank between Turkey and the Greek island of Lesbos early on Wednesday.
Seven children were among the dead. The coastguard was able to rescue 27 people.
Tensions in the EU have been rising because of the disproportionate burden faced by those countries where most migrants initially arrive, particularly Greece, Italy and Hungary. Most migrants then head to Germany or Sweden - regarded as the most welcoming to refugees - to claim asylum.
EU leaders have agreed a controversial programme to relocate thousands of migrants - but so far only about 130 have been successfully moved from Greece and Italy.EU leaders have agreed a controversial programme to relocate thousands of migrants - but so far only about 130 have been successfully moved from Greece and Italy.
Developments on Wednesday highlighted deep divisions between EU members on the migrant issue.
Hungary was bitterly critical of Germany's announcement that it planned to send more Syrian refugees back to the first EU country they had entered, after reinstating the EU's Dublin Regulation on asylum. Berlin said this would not include Greece, the first point of entry for most migrants.
Hungarian Foreign Minister Peter Szijjarto said: "The Dublin system is dead."
He also accused German politicians of making "irresponsible statements" which some migrants had interpreted as an invitation to come to Europe.
Meanwhile, Slovenia has begun building a razor-wire fence along its border with Croatia, a day after the government said it would install "temporary technical obstacles", but stressed official border crossings would remain open and that the move was designed to restore order.
Croatia criticised the Slovenian fence, saying it would be better to spend money on preparing reception centres for migrants.
A note on terminology: The BBC uses the term migrant to refer to all people on the move who have yet to complete the legal process of claiming asylum. This group includes people fleeing war-torn countries such as Syria, who are likely to be granted refugee status, as well as people who are seeking jobs and better lives, who governments are likely to rule are economic migrants.A note on terminology: The BBC uses the term migrant to refer to all people on the move who have yet to complete the legal process of claiming asylum. This group includes people fleeing war-torn countries such as Syria, who are likely to be granted refugee status, as well as people who are seeking jobs and better lives, who governments are likely to rule are economic migrants.