U.S. Takes Training Role in Africa as Threats Grow and Budgets Shrink
via U.S. Takes Training Role in Africa as Threats Grow and Budgets Shrink – NYTimes.com.
There has been a significant rise in the numbers of migrants reaching Europe in recent months, the BBC has learned.
The number of people attempting the dangerous sea crossing from North Africa to Italy has risen sharply, says to Frontex, the EU border agency. From January to April, 42,000 migrants were detected on these routes, with 25,650 of these crossing from Libya. Combined with seven other less busy routes, the total figure for this year is probably now about 60,000. On Wednesday, the Italian government said the number of migrants reaching its shores had soared to more than 39,000. The total for 2014 so far is more than the equivalent period in 2011, the year of the Arab Spring, which eventually saw the arrival of 140,000 illegal migrants.