When discussing migration to Europe, particularly to Italy, the dominant narrative seems to focus only on “illegal” routes: dangerous journeys across the Mediterranean, overloaded boats, and the human tragedies that often result. However, legal and safe routes for asylum seekers to enter Italy do exist, even if they are little known and, unfortunately, even less utilized. The case of twenty refugees who arrived in Rome on September 2, 2023, is a concrete example of how these alternatives can work.
A Safe Arrival from Libya: A Flight of Hope
On September 2, twenty refugees from various African and Asian countries arrived in Italy from Tripoli, the capital of Libya, via a regular scheduled flight. These refugees, originally from countries such as Togo, Central African Republic, Chad, Democratic Republic of Congo, Nigeria, Cameroon, and Burma, were transferred from Libyan detention centers, where they had suffered severe mistreatment and human rights violations.
These refugees did not arrive by boat or face the risks of the open sea. They landed in Rome on a safe flight, thanks to a humanitarian evacuation program. They were welcomed by the Community of Sant’Egidio, an organization that, along with other religious and social entities, financially and logistically supports these humanitarian corridors.
Humanitarian Corridors: A Model of Solidarity
The “humanitarian corridors” program is a legal, safe, and carefully managed tool to allow those fleeing situations of extreme violence and persecution to find protection in Europe. These projects are mainly carried out by religious organizations and non-governmental associations, such as the Community of Sant’Egidio and the Federation of Evangelical Churches, in collaboration with national governments.
The humanitarian corridors model demonstrates how the reception of asylum seekers can be organized in a safe, legal, and sustainable manner, without the need to resort to dangerous human trafficking. Moreover, it’s important to emphasize that these programs do not use public funds; they are entirely supported by the organizations that promote them, helping to debunk another common myth related to migrants: the idea that reception is always at the expense of the state.
Why Aren’t They Widely Used?
Despite the existence of these legal and safe routes, many asylum seekers continue to choose irregular routes, risking their lives. This happens for various reasons:
- Lack of information: Many people in emergency situations are unaware of the existence of humanitarian corridors or other legal possibilities to enter Europe.
- Program limitations: Humanitarian corridors, unfortunately, are limited to a small number of people and depend on bilateral agreements between countries and organizations. The scope of these projects, while valuable, is insufficient to address the vastness of the migration phenomenon.
- Long waiting times: For those fleeing wars, persecution, or humanitarian crisis situations, the waiting times required to be included in a humanitarian program can be too long, pushing many to opt for quicker, albeit dangerous, irregular routes.
- Pressure from traffickers: Human trafficking networks take advantage of migrants’ desperation, offering false promises of quick and safe journeys, thus fueling the irregular flow.
The Importance of Expanding Legal Routes
Expanding and strengthening legal entry routes for asylum seekers is not only a matter of justice and humanity but also represents a pragmatic solution to reduce irregular migration and human trafficking. Investing in these corridors means not only saving lives but also promoting a more organized and sustainable reception system.
If these legal routes were made more accessible and known, more people could avoid the dangers of clandestine routes, with a positive impact also on public opinion, which often associates irregular immigration with insecurity and disorder.
A Model to Follow
The case of the twenty refugees who arrived in Italy on September 2 is just one example of how it is possible to reconcile security, legality, and solidarity. These people, who have already suffered terrible violence in their countries and in Libyan detention centers, now have a new opportunity to rebuild their lives in Italy, welcomed in different regions of the country. Their reception does not burden the public system but is entirely supported by organizations that believe in the importance of offering a future to those fleeing desperation.
Humanitarian corridors and other legal entry routes represent a concrete and humane response to the migration crisis. However, it is essential that these options are further promoted and strengthened. Only in this way can we contribute to reducing human trafficking, saving lives, and demonstrating that there are alternative solutions to illegal routes. Expanding these initiatives is not just a matter of security, but of justice and humanity.
The real question we can ask ourselves is therefore: Can we really say that there are no safe and legal alternatives?
The cover image was created with FLUX AI.
