FRONTEX WATCH

In 2002, Italy concluded a police cooperation agreement with Egypt, a country governed by Mubarak under emergency law since 1981. At the time, big ships with asian migrants, mainly from Sri Lanka, reached Italy via the Red Sea - Suez Canal - Mediterranean Sea to Sicily. The agreement allowed the delegation of an Italian police officer to Cairo charged with coordination of all efforts related to human trafficking. In return, Egyptians were given an immigration quota for Italy. In 2003, Italy paid chartered flights to Sri Lanka to deport Asians that were intercepted in Egypt. Migrants sidestepped accordingly to the Saharan desert to reach the Lybian Mediterranean coast. Even Egyptian migrants use this route to enter Italy.

more from Das diskrete Sterben, Paolo Cuttitta, FR, august 2004