Italy's foreign ministry has given a total 1,442 million euros to United Nations capacity-building projects in Niger, Ethiopia and Somalia, the foreign ministry said in a statement.
The foreign ministry has donated 800,000 euros to the Nations Office on Drugs and Crime with the aim of helping Niger, the statement said.
The funds will boost the ability of Niger's authorities to fight human trafficking. The cash will also improve judicial cooperation between Italy and Niger, which is key transit country for migration flows towards Europe via Libya and Italy, according to the statement.
The Italian government's Africa Fund allocated almost 10 million euros to Niger last year to give more assistance to migrants and refugees and bolster technical support provided to local authorities, said the statement.
The foreign ministry is also giving 642,000 euros to the United Nations Capital Development Fund to foster inclusive credit services for refugees and their hosting communities in the Tigray, Somaliland and Addis Ababa regions of Ethiopia, the statement added.
The project will improve the economic self-sufficiency and saving ability of refugees - especially women - and also give financial support to Ethiopian migrants who voluntarily return to their country.
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