The rescue on the Mediterranean Sea of thousands of refugees this weekend has once again put the spotlight on the European Union. The display of a collective will to save innocent human lives, who are fleeing poverty and persecution in their homeland, will help the policymakers in the continent to make amends for their previous display of apathy.

The tale of migration to Europe from Africa is complex, but in reality it is no different from what occurs in other parts of the world. Policymakers in Europe must take into account the factors that drive people to such lengths of desperation maybe they can then be influenced into showing their humanitarian face. More often, policies drawn up to deter refugees from making hazardous crossings across the Mediterranean, with the spectre of death hovering over their heads, end up being ineffective given the sheer immediacy of the situation to save human lives from being lost.

Europe has concerns about its ability to handle the steady stream of refugees that are reaching its shores but it must also have viable solutions and rejection is not one of them. Inability by countries to rehabilitate refugees can be compensated by providing financial support for those states that are committed to resettling them, or shoring up refugee camps in the Middle East who have allowed millions to come across their borders. Diplomacy is filled with rhetoric and doublespeak but moral obligation transcends such conversations. The act of saving the lives of thousands last weekend has been the right step for Europe. Its commitment must not flag.