Minister sounds alarm over ‘worrying increase’ in number of unaccompanied minors Libya tops arrival numbers with 45.3 percent, followed by Tunisia with 35.9 percent ROME: Migrant arrivals in Italy from North Africa more than doubled in the first seven months of 2021, with a sharp increase in numbers coming from Tunisia and Libya, the Italian interior minister has revealed. Official figures released by Interior Minister Luciana Lamorgese at a press conference attended by Arab News on Thursday show that between August 2020 and July 2021, a total of 49,280 people reached Italy from North Africa, landing mostly on the tiny island of Lampedusa, and on the southern coasts of Sicily and Sardinia. “The figure is 128 percent higher than that recorded in the same period in the previous year,” Lamorgese said. She also highlighted a “worrying increase” in the number of unaccompanied minors reaching Italy from North Africa. “Their total of 7,843 was slightly less than 20 percent of the overall figure and was up 155.26 percent on the previous year’s number. We should look at this figure with particular attention, as minors require particular care,” Lamorgese added. Nearly 80 percent of the migrants reaching Italy this year came from Arab countries in North Africa. Libya had the highest proportion of arrivals with 45.3 percent, followed by Tunisia with 35.9 percent. Migrant arrivals from Tunisia recorded a sharp increase in the second half of July after political turmoil broke out in that country. In the past year, Italy’s reception and integration system has increased the number of places offered to unaccompanied foreign minors by 3,000 up to a total of 6,698 nationwide. “It is historically the highest number since the creation of SPRAR (the Italian acronym previously used for the hosting system for refugees and asylum-seekers in Italy),” said Matteo Biffoni, mayor of Prato in Tuscany, and delegate for immigration with the Italian Association of City Mayors. “We must recognize that the interior ministry has made a significant effort to support municipalities which are responsible for taking care of minors when they reach Italy.” Official data reveal that 40,727 people independently reached Italy on boats or dinghies, while 8,553 were rescued in Italy’s search and rescue area by the Italian coast guard. A total of 4,239 migrants were rescued by ships in the southern Mediterranean run by European NGOs. Despite the increase in the landings, the number of foreigners living in Italy has decreased this year. As of July 31, there were 3,825,944 legal foreigners in Italy, 4.7 percent fewer than the previous year.