External dimension as a panacea? Italy's cooperation with third countries (Libya, Tunisia, Albania) in managing migration flows (2022–2024)

The migration crisis remains the most pressing issue in the Mediterranean vector of Italy's foreign policy. The article examines Italy's strategy of externalizing migration control during the period 2022–2024, implemented by Georgia Meloni's government through cooperation with third countries. The focus of the analysis is on three key areas: traditional partnership with Libya (extension of the 2017 Memorandum), a new deterrence model with Tunisia (EU-Tunisia agreement 2023), and a radical experiment with Albania (extraterritorial asylum processing centers). The aim of the work is to assess the effectiveness, legal risks, and ethical implications of these mechanisms in the context of a record increase in arrivals in 2023 (157,000) and a sharp decline in 2024 (66,000, -58%). A qualitative analysis of three IAI reports (2022–2024) and a comparative-historical method are applied to study the evolution of agreements within a systemic approach. Scientific novelty: for the first time a comprehensive comparison of the three models of externalization over Meloni's three years in power is conducted, revealing the phenomenon of "hybrid migration" (legal entry into Libya → illegal crossing) as a key factor in the decrease of arrivals in 2024. Key conclusions are that: the 58% decrease is a result of the shift in flows (60% → Libya), rather than the effectiveness of the policy; cooperation with Libya/Tunisia is associated with systemic violations of migrants' rights; the Albanian project is blocked by courts due to legal incompatibility with EU law; externalization ignores Italy's need for legal labor migration. It is recommended to move towards a balanced policy: reforming the asylum system, expanding legal channels, and prioritizing human rights in agreements with third countries.

externalization of migration control, foreign policy, Italy, Mediterranean, Meloni government, Libya, Tunisia, Albania, EU, migration