Africa, so close yet so far from G7 summit

Taormina (Italy) (AFP) - It's a powerful symbol: Seven of the world's richest countries gathered in Sicily, a Mediterranean island on whose shores rickety migrant boats from northern Africa regularly wash up.

But while migration and the vast continent on Sicily's southern doorstep got a mention Saturday in the final statement of G7 leaders gathered in the hilltop town of Taormina, the summit itself was dominated by trade, climate change and security threats.

"Never before has a G7 been held so close to Africa, but never before has Africa been so far from G7 concerns," said Friederike Roder of the One poverty-focused NGO that has for years tracked G7 meetings.

As the leaders shook hands and chatted in the shadow of Mount Etna, or listened to a classical music concert in an ancient Greek theatre, migrants and refugees continued to make the dangerous crossing across the Mediterranean.

On Friday, more than 3,400 were rescued.

But with drastic security measures to protect leaders such as US President Donald Trump, aid boats were banned from bringing them to safety in Sicily, taking them to the mainland instead.

US 'killed the project'

Summit host Italy had made Africa a priority for the gathering, picking Sicily as a venue as it was "at the heart of the Mediterranean" and a "bridge between Europe and Africa," according to Prime Minister Paolo Gentiloni.

Italy, which has seen more than 50,000 people land on its shores since the start of the year, wanted to craft an ambitious, end-of-summit declaration outlining a long-term vision for relations with Africa apart from the main statement, according to Italian diplomatic sources.

But "the Americans killed the project and made it known end of April that they refused to have any separate declaration," says Roder.

Trump has made the fight against illegal immigration one of his priorities, promising to build a wall along the US-Mexico border to keep migrants out.

This week, he drew a parallel between terrorism and immigration in the wake of the deadly Manchester attack.

"Terrorism must be stopped in its tracks, or the horror you saw in Manchester and so many other places will continue forever," he said in a speech at NATO headquarters in Brussels.

"You have thousands and thousands of people pouring into our various countries and spreading throughout, and in many cases, we have no idea who they are."

But for Roder, "the problem isn't Trump so much as the other countries who did nothing to save the Italian project."

Help needed

In the final G7 statement, the leaders recognised the need to support refugees while also emphasising "the sovereign rights of states, individually and collectively, to control their own borders."

They also reaffirmed a previously-made commitment to lift 500 million people in developing countries out of hunger and malnutrition by 2030.

The statement came just hours after the G7 partners sat down for talks with five African leaders -- or their deputies -- invited to the summit.

Niger's President Mahamadou Issoufou took the opportunity to point out that migration was the result of "the combination of terrorism, poverty, the effects of climate change and demographic pressure."

Niger's President Mahamadou Issoufou (R) took the opportunity to point out that migration was the result of "the combination of terrorism, poverty, the effects of climate change and demographic pressure"

He also called on his Western allies to consider a global approach to the issue mixing "security measures, and measures in the field of economic and social development."

"Niger is well placed to understand the challenges linked to terrorism and global warming. These are issues we experience on a daily basis," a source close to Issoufou said.

"We expect more solidarity on crucial issues, we have to find a solution in Libya ... and the Europeans must convince President Trump to stay in the Paris accord (on climate change)," the source added -- a decision Trump is due to make next week.