EU chief: Millions of migrants in 5 years

THE number of migrants crossing into Europe from Africa will be in the millions within five years unless urgent action is taken, a senior EU official has warned.

Antonio Tajani, president of the European Parliament, has said the scale and severity of the migrant crisis is being underestimated. In an interview with Il Messagero newspaper, Mr Tajani said there would be an exodus of biblical proportions if nothing was done to tackle the problem. ‘Population growth, climate change, desertification, wars, famine in Somalia and Sudan. These are the factors that are forcing people to leave.

‘If we don’t confront this soon, we will find ourselves with millions of people on our doorstep within five years.’