EU pushes for 'leverage' with Africa to curb migrants

EU leaders called on Thursday for greater efforts to apply the "leverage" of trade and development with Africa in order to curb migrant departures to Europe and speed up the return of those who arrive.

The European Union has been turning its sights on the central Mediterranean route from Libya to Italy since a March aid-for-cooperation deal with Turkey dramatically slowed the number of migrants landing in Greece, the main entry point for Europe last year.