Prague, Jan 24 (CTK) – The Czech government decided on Wednesday to send about 225 million crowns to the EU’s fund for Africa that covers projects aimed to stem and help tackle the migrant crisis, Interior Minister Lubomir Metnar has told reporters, adding that the Czech money is to go to Libya.
“This is a strong sign of solidarity in tackling the migrant issue,” Metnar, who proposed the step to the cabinet, said.
The Emergency Trust Fund for Africa was established during the EU summit in Malta in 2015, where leaders of European and African states met to discuss the migrant crisis. It is supposed to offer 1.8 billion euros (45.8 billion crowns) as a sum to help tackle crises and support stability in Africa.
In late 2017, prime ministers of the Visegrad Four (V4) countries, i.e. the Czech Republic, Hungary, Poland and Slovakia, agreed with Italian PM Paolo Gentiloni and EC President Jean-Claude Juncker that the V4 countries will contribute 35 million euros (some 900 million crowns) to the fund for Africa, each providing one quarter of the sum.
The money is to go to a reinforcement of the Libyan border. It is to be delivered to the fund by the end of February.
The Czech Republic previously sent over 1.6 million euros (over 42 million crowns) to the fund.
Last year, the Czech cabinet approved a contribution of 25 million crowns to the operation of Libya’s coast and naval guards.
Furthermore, a project has been launched in cooperation with Italy to help improve the situation of people in the Ivory Coast. The Czech contribution of about 26 million crowns will help improve local healthcare and facilitate refugees’ return to the country.
