UN chief: No military solution to illegal migrant boats crisis

The United Nations Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon called on European countries not to resort to military solutions to prevent migrants drowning in the Mediterranean Sea, the Anadolu Agency reported.

In an interview with Italy’s La Stampa newspaper yesterday, Ban said: “There is no military solution to the human tragedy playing out in the Mediterranean.”

Answering a question about a proposal by Italian Prime Minister Matteo Renzi to “capture and destroy” the boats that traffickers use, the UN chief said: “It is crucial that we take a holistic approach that looks at the root causes, at security and the human rights of migrants and refugees, and have a legal and regulated immigration network.”

Ban, who is visiting Italy today, will meet with politicians, including the EU’s foreign policy chief Federica Mogherini.

Mogherini told La Repubblica newspaper yesterday she would discuss the proposal to destroy the boats with Ban, saying it “does not mean preparing a military intervention in Libya”.

On Thursday, EU leaders agreed to triple funding for naval searches in the Mediterranean.

The UN chief said his organisation was ready to cooperate with European countries to help them deal with this crisis.

Last week, as many as 900 illegal migrants drowned in the Mediterranean Sea after their boat collided with a merchant ship and then capsized.

The United Nations reported that between March and August 2014, more than 30,000 illegal migrants entered Libya.