The European Union has announced new plans, costing 40m euros (£27m), to attract ’skilled’ labour from Africa. Justice Commissioner Franco Frattini has called for new job centres in Africa to help match supply to Europe with demand. No doubt this will please the new head of Ukip, Nigel Farage, who wanted protection for Africans in the face of mass immigration from the East.
Mr Frattini proposed establishing EU “Migration Support Teams” to help African countries manage migration. He also announced plans to create “European Job Mobility Portals” in African countries which would provide information for local people about job opportunities in Europe. The new measures are expected to help “step up the dialogue and co-operation on migration issues with Africa, he said.

Some African officials and aid groups have made the valid point that attracting skilled labour will cause a brain-drain in Africa. However, Mr Frattini insisted his plans would not result in a shortage of educated talent in Africa. “We can avoid the brain-drain by enhancing our assistance to the countries of origin, by promoting initiatives to have brain circulation rather than a brain drain.”
There will be a prize of a signed photograph of Mark Collett treading on a cockroach if any reader can tell us what this last statement means.