President Kais Saied met Italian Minister of the Interior, Matteo Pintedosi, on Monday at Carthage Palace.

The meeting focused on the issue of irregular migration, according to a statement from the Presidency.

President Saied stated that stated that "the security approach has shown its limits in addressing the phenomenon of irregular migration".

The number of victims is increasing by the day", he lamented, adding that "criminal networks of smugglers are taking advantage of the insecurity that leads migrants to risk their lives to reach the other side of the Mediterranean."

The President emphasised the need to tackle the root causes of this phenomenon in order to eradicate it, as part of a new collective approach.

In this context, he proposed holding an international meeting between the Heads of State and Government or Ministers of the Interior of the countries affected by the migration crisis as soon as possible.

The aim is to agree on means of cooperation to tackle the causes of the phenomenon of irregular migration.

The meeting between the President of the Republic and the Italian Minister of the Interior was also an opportunity to discuss cooperation and friendship between the two neighbouring countries and peoples, the statement reads.

Source: Agence Tunis Afrique Presse