Britain announced funding to help tackle people-smuggling and Russian disinformation as she hosted counterparts from the Western Balkans for a summit in Northern Ireland on Thursday.

Foreign Minister Yvette Cooper pledged £10 million ($13 million) for “innovative programmes” designed to stop gangs from transporting undocumented migrants through countries in the region to the rest of Europe.

Almost 22,000 people travelled through Western Balkan countries to Europe last year, said a ministry statement.

The money will “support new projects… including law enforcement training in Kosovo, stronger border security and help for potential trafficking victims in Serbia”, it added.

The announcement came as Cooper welcomed foreign ministers from Albania, North Macedonia and Serbia to a meeting at

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