More Refugee Drownings as EU Leaders Appeal to Africa for Help

As 14 more refugees drowned in the latest boat sinking between Turkey and the Greek island of Lesbos, half of whom were children, European Union leaders are expected to offer some African countries billions of euros if they help with the refugee crises at a two-day conference in Malta beginning Wednesday.

The BBC reports that the European Commission is creating an almost US$2 billion fund for Africa to confront economic and safety issues that prompt people to want to leave.

In exchange, African leaders are expected to demand a clearer and safer path for a small number of their citizens to migrate to Europe.

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Almost 800,000 refugees have entered Europe by sea this year alone, according to the United Nations refugee agency, and around 3,440 have died in the difficult Mediterranean crossing.

The wooden boat that sunk on Wednesday was the latest of a string of tragedies, including the sinking of a boat off Libya in April, in which 800 people drowned, and which led to the calling of the Malta summit.

European countries, especially Italy, say they are overwhelmed by the numbers of refugees arriving, failing to recognize their own role in causing the conflict and economic difficulties in Northern Africa, and despite the fact that poorer countries such as Lebanon have taken in many more refugees.

E.U. leaders have passed a contentious plan to relocate thousands of refugees, but so far less than 130 people have been successfully moved from Greece and Italy.