After a tragic 10 days, in which more than 1,000 migrants drowned in the waters of the Mediterranean Sea trying to reach Europe, the political masters of the continent finally were spurred into action. Meeting in Brussels, the European Union (EU) leaders agreed to commit new resources to save lives in the Mediterranean. Those new resources mean sending more ships to rescue migrants; more efforts to patrol the waters; and targeting the criminal gangs of people-smugglers who are willing to take the last coins and bank notes of the desolate and desperate who see reaching Europe as the only hope of rebuilding lives broken by civil wars, political instability and economies fractured beyond repair.

Each of the 28 nations are required to double their current spending now on the rescue mission. A key focus will be putting in place the capacity to identify, capture and destroy vessels before they can be used by traffickers to send the desperate on a crowded voyage on the Mediterranean. And yes, the British, Belgian and German navies will add warships to the operation to try and stem the human tide. Certainly, these measures are necessary first steps in saving the lives of many who will take to the tides in an effort to flee sub-Saharan Africa, Libya and Syria. Now, at least, there is less chance of over-crowded unseaworthy vessels capsizing out of reach of rescue from patrolling vessels. And the saving of lives is to be welcomed.

But the measures proposed by Europe’s political elite are little, late and leave unanswered basic questions of this entire crisis.

Why has it taken so long for Brussels and the collective leadership of the EU to recognise that the flood of migrants was indeed a crisis? Why have so many migrants had to die thus far while European leaders purposely ignored their plight?

Why did they allow previous rescue operations to be scaled back when financial costs rose? And what are they really going to do to help migrants finally settle in the comfort and stability of the European community?