Maghreb community in Europe needs to be shielded from xenophobic, racist, Islamophobic violence

It is essential to make sure Maghreb community based in Europe is shielded from xenophobic, racist and Islamophobic violence, Minister of State, Minister of Foreign Affairs and International Cooperation Ramtane Lamamra insisted Friday in Marseilles, France. 

"It seems to us that it is essential to see to it that the Maghreb community based in Europe be safe from xenophobic, racist, Islamophobic drifts, especially in time of crisis and radical escalation," Lamamra said in an address at the 13th ministerial meeting of "5+5 Dialogue" on the Western Mediterranean, opened Friday.

Mentioning the migration issue, Algeria's foreign policy chief said "humanitarian tragedies are unfolding, on a daily basis, in the Mediterranean," drawing attention on the necessity to distinguish between "natural" and "classical" migration.

The Mediterranean "is known for the flux of migrants and refugees" fleeing hot spots, like Syria, Iraq, Afghanistan, Somalia and Yemen, as well as poverty.

"Hence our conviction that the fight against illegal migration requires a global, integrated approach that combines security (through cooperation in the fight against criminal human trafficking networks), development (to address the root causes of the phenomenon), and respect of human dignity," Lamamra said.

That's why Algeria, which has turned from a transit country into a destination for Sub-Saharan and Syrian migrants, "advocates such an approach."