“We do not see on TV the people dying in the desert” High Representative of the European Union for Foreign Affairs and Security Policy Federica Mogherini told the press as the Labour Party Headquarters welcomed Italian Prime Minister Paolo Gentiloni, French President Francois Hollande, Prime Minister Muscat along with some other heads of state ahead of the informal EU summit on migration.

Mrs Mogherini was replying to a question by a Euronews journalist regarding the human rights concerns surrounding the EU’s recent proposal of a migrant deal with Libya , which will set aside  $214 million to train the Libyan coast guard, invest in local communities and financially support international refugee and migrant agencies.

She went on to say that “ the work is exactly aimed at two things; one saving lives, at sea, at land, and in the desert; and raising standards to managing the flows.”

“We do not see on TV the people dying in the desert but still they do. So we have a responsibility, we feel a responsibility as Europeans to help these countries manage the human rights situation, the dramatic slavery situation that some of the migrants face across the desert and before they even get to the shores of the Mediterranean”

“This is why in the European Union decisions today you will find an increased support to the IOM and UNHCR to save lives and increase the level of humanity we have in the management of migration flows”

Mrs Mogherini, along with the other heads of state, was welcomed by Party of European Socialist President Sergei Stanishev, Progressive Alliance of Socialists and Democrats Gianni Pitella, and Minister Chris Cardona.

Mr Pittella and Mr Stanishev spoke to the press about the three main policy positions of the groups.

American President Donald Trump was on the agenda with Mr Pittella saying that the group will be looking into policy to combat the rising wave of populism hitting Europe.

On migration, Mr Pittella said that their focus will be on better border control and the management of the flow of migrants. For the economy he said that the priority would be to increase jobs throughout the union.