(TAP correspondent Moufida Ben Touati ) - The international conference on "Migration and Development" started, on Sunday at the headquarters of the Italian Ministry of Foreign Affairs, in Rome. It was attended by President of the Republic Kaïs Saïed, and several leaders and senior officials from European and African countries and the Gulf.

The conference, which was kicked off by President of the Italian Council Giorgia Meloni and the Vice-President of the Council of Ministers, Italian Minister of Foreign Affairs and Cooperation, Antonio Tajani, will take place behind closed doors.

During the opening session, President of the Republic Kaïs Saïed will deliver a speech. A second session will be devoted to international organisations.

A joint statement will be published by the end of the conference, this afternoon.

Bringing together the countries of the southern shore of the Mediterranean, the Middle East and the Gulf, this conference seeks to mobilise efforts to address the issue of irregular migration and raise awareness about the concerns of the countries affected by this phenomenon.

It will also be an opportunity to seek funding to create projects and therefore job opportunities for local African populations, according to press statements by the President of the Italian Council, Giorgia Meloni.

Meloni also stressed that the security approach in dealing with the migration crisis is "insufficient", pleading in return for a global vision of the migration issue in the Mediterranean.

This conference takes place in a context marked by the rise in the flow of irregular sub-Saharan migrants to Europe via Tunisia and the countries of North Africa, which continues to trigger serious concerns among countries on both shores of the Mediterranean.