That was the genesis of negotiations with North African states – Tunisia Mauritania and Egypt – initially marketed by Brussels and EU leaders notably Italy's nationalist Prime Minister Giorgia Meloni purely as 'cash for migrant control' pacts...

Von der Leyen was accompanied by four EU leaders including Giorgia Meloni...

Commission President Ursula von der Leyen speaking at the 29 January launch of the new Africa initiative launched by Italian Prime Minister Giorgia Meloni argued that the destinies and interests of Africa and Europe are more aligned than ever before as she signed a new agreement with the African Investment Bank as part of the €150 billion Global Gateway Africa-Europe investment programme (AC Vol 64 No 2 Grand ambitions little money)...

Talks led by Von der Leyen and the Dutch and Italian Prime Ministers Mark Rutte and Giorgia Meloni (all breaching the EU's rules on negotiations with heads of states on behalf of the bloc) produced a €785 million (US$842m) agreement in July for budget support and investment between the EU and President Kaïs Saïed (AC Vol 64 No 14 Migration cash dominates vote for top EU jobs)...

Neither Borrell nor national governments – with the exception of Italian and Dutch premiers Giorgia Meloni and Mark Rutte – were consulted we hear...

European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen Italian premier Giorgia Meloni and the Netherlands' outgoing premier Mark Rutte brokered a quid pro quo with Tunisia's President Kaïs Saïed in June...

Italian Prime Minister Giorgia Meloni continues to exert diplomatic pressure on Tunisia and Libya as the Italian island of Lampedusa continues to receive unprecedented numbers of migrants from North Africa...

With European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen finding common cause with Italy's Prime Minister Giorgia Meloni such 'cash for migration deals' will be central to campaigning for the bloc's top jobs next year...

European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen – flanked by Dutch Prime Minister Mark Rutte and his counterpart Giorgia Meloni of Italy – swept up the steps of the Palace of Carthage on 11 June with €150 million in immediate budget support to President Kaïs Saïed – and a promise of a further €900m...