On 29 January, several European media outlets reported that the European Union is planning to allocate approximately three million Euros to fund the construction of a Maritime Rescue Coordination Centre (MRCC) in Benghazi. According to reports from InfoMigrants and the German newspaper nd-Jounalismus von Links, this initiative aims to enhance search and rescue capabilities in the eastern Mediterranean, effectively expanding the maritime coordination system currently operational in Tripoli. According to InfoMigrants, an EU spokesperson confirmed plans to fund a MRCC in Benghazi.
According to these reports, the project, which is still in the planning stages with no operational work started, would require vessels in the region to report migrant boat sightings to the Benghazi centre and follow its coordination instructions. The proposed centre would involve technical upgrades, including the installation of radar towers and surveillance systems in Tubruq. While Italy is expected to play a leading role in financing and implementation – potentially through the European Peace Facility – questions remain regarding which local authorities will manage the centre given Libya’s institutional divisions.