On 15 October, EU Ambassador to Libya Nicola Orlando said that 14 embassies of migrants’ countries of origin joined the second edition of the EU Delegation’s Migration Advocacy Talks, focused on Voluntary Humanitarian Returns, noting the significant rise in returns that was a positive outcome of the 17 July Trans-Mediterranean Migration Forum in Tripoli. The same day, Government of Nationaly Unity (GNU) Minister of Interior Emad Trabelsi met with the head of the International Organization for Migration (IOM) in Libya Nicoletta Giordano, focusing on increasing the number of voluntary return flights for migrants from inside and outside the shelter centres.
On 16 October, Orlando met with Valentino Rinaldi, Commander of EUNAVFOR Med’s Operation Irini in Rome. Orlando stressed the importance of Irini’s implementation of the UN arms embargo on land and at sea; monitoring illicit exports of petroleum, crude oil and refined petroleum products; and disrupting the business model of human smuggling and trafficking networks. He also noted Irini is available to support capacity building and training of Libya’s migration authorities.
On 17 October, the Italian Ministry of the Interior hosted in Rome the sixth Steering Committee of the EU-funded SIBMMIL project (Support to Integrated Border and Migration Management in Libya) aimed at strengthening cooperation between Libya and the European Union in handling migration challenges. Participants included representatives of all the Libyan migration and border management authorities – such as Muhammed al-Lakri, head of Libya’s Border Guard, and Rida Essa, head of the Coast Guard – as well as senior officials from Italy, Malta, other EU nations, the EU and the EU Border Assistance Mission (EUBAM).
According to Orlando, the meeting ‘welcomed the progress made since the 17 July Trans-Mediterranean Migration Forum in Tripoli, particularly the notable increase in migrants’ Voluntary Human Returns supported by the EU.’ He commended Libya’s ongoing efforts to save lives at sea and in the desert, and the operationalization of the Tripoli Maritime Rescue Coordination Centre with support by SIBMMIL, and reaffirmed the EU’s commitment to combating human smuggling and trafficking. He reiterated the EU’s ‘determination to strengthen Libya’s human rights-compliant border management capacity with a stronger focus on securing land borders.’