Closing busy migration routes across the Mediterranean does not solve the refugee crisis, the president of Germany said, stressing that efforts need to be made to encourage migrants to remain in their countries.

During a press conference yesterday, German President Frank-Walter Steinmeier said proposals regarding the busy migration route across the Mediterranean Sea should include concrete ideas.

“Those who ignore Europe in search for adequate answers are being too simplistic,” he said, referring to European policies in relation to finding solutions for the crisis.

What is obvious is that we have to give Mediterranean migrants reasons to stay in their home countries

he said, adding that the EU should study how to improving the living conditions of migrants in their own countries.

with the Austrian President Alexander Van der Bellen held in Vienna, Steinmeier noted

He also said that the idea to close the crossing between Austria and Italy in the face of the refugees and migrants is not an option.

Europe is facing the largest wave of migration since the Second World War. Residents of African, Middle East and South Asia are fleeing wars and poverty and heading to Europe.

On 18 March 2016, Turkey and the EU reached a deal to return migrants leaving from Turkey’s shores and heading to Europe in an effort to make the route less appealing. As a result, refugees are migrants have been travelling to war-torn Libya in an effort to cross into Europe from there.

There have been numerous reports that the refugees and migrants have been badly treated, robbed, beaten and women have been raped by people smugglers along the journey.