Foreign minister Angelino Alfano on Wednesday called for fewer "lectures" and "more funds" to tackle the Mediterranean migrant crisis, rejecting claims that Italy was abetting Libya's abuse of human rights.
"We invite everyone who steps forward to give us lectures to give us more funds and more organisational support," Alfano said in Rome at a joint press conference with his German counterpart Sigmar Gabriel.
"We are the world champions of humanity and human rights, we cannot accept rights violations" Alfano claimed.
"We will keep fighting to improve the situation."
His remarks came after United Nations human rights chief Zeid Raad al-Hussein on Tuesday flayed Italy and the European Union for their "inhumane" support of Libyan coastguard intercepting and returning migrants in the Mediterranean to horrific conditions in detention centres in Libya.
"We will keep working. Our actions to date have dealt a severe blow to human traffickers," Alfano said.
