Italy praises Algeria’s efforts against irregular migration as interior ministers agree to expand security coordination

Algeria and Italy agreed on Monday to deepen cooperation against irregular migration and cross-border crime during talks between their interior ministers in Rome.

According to a statement from Algeria’s Interior Ministry, Said Sayoud and his Italian counterpart Matteo Piantedosi discussed ways to strengthen bilateral coordination to curb irregular migration and dismantle migrant smuggling and human trafficking networks.

The ministry said the Italian side praised Algeria’s efforts to combat irregular migration and its “comprehensive and balanced approach,” which combines humanitarian, security and development measures to address migration challenges in Africa.

Italy also commended Algeria’s efforts against migrant smuggling and human trafficking and expressed satisfaction with the existing level of bilateral cooperation in those areas, the statement added.

The two ministers agreed to expand cooperation in policing, training, expertise-sharing and joint operational mechanisms to strengthen the strategic partnership between the two countries.

Algeria and Italy have cooperated on security issues under a bilateral agreement signed in 1999 covering irregular migration and the return of undocumented migrants.

The agreement was expanded in February 2024 to include cooperation against drug trafficking, cybercrime, economic crimes, human trafficking and broader operational coordination between the two countries’ security services.

A limited number of irregular Algerian migrants continue to reach the Italian island of Sardinia from Algeria’s eastern coast.

A limited number of irregular Algerian migrants continue to reach the Italian island of Sardinia from Algeria’s eastern coast.

The central Mediterranean remains one of the world's most active and dangerous migration corridors, driven by conflict, poverty, climate pressures and limited economic opportunities across parts of Africa and beyond.

Irregular migration continues to fuel transnational criminal networks involved in migrant smuggling and human trafficking, posing humanitarian and security challenges for both North African and European countries.

In response, governments are increasingly combining border security with intelligence sharing, law enforcement cooperation, development initiatives and legal migration pathways.

The renewed partnership between Algeria and Italy reflects a broader regional effort to address the root causes of irregular migration while strengthening coordinated action against the criminal networks that profit from it.