On 6 August, Government of National Stability (GNS) Prime Minister Osama Hammad used the opening of the ‘International Conference on Transnational Crime and National Security’ in Benghazi to deliver a pointed critique of the European Union’s handling of irregular migration. He warned that security threats transcend national borders, with criminal and terrorist networks exploiting migration routes. Hammad accused Brussels of lacking the political will to address the crisis structurally, lamenting poor coordination with Libya. He singled out Greece and Italy as main destinations for migrants and claimed that organized crime unduly influences political decisions there.
He urged a comprehensive overhaul of EU migration policies, calling for targeted measures against individuals and entities profiting from human smuggling and trafficking. Hammad stressed that migration has become a global issue requiring genuine cooperation, beyond rhetorical commitments, with countries of origin and transit. He also highlighted the importance of launching development and economic programs in migrants’ homelands to tackle root causes and reduce the incentives for irregular journeys. Finally, Hammad reaffirmed his government’s commitment to integrating the roles of the Interior Ministry, armed forces, and judicial institutions under a unified national security strategy.