The Government of National Unity (GNU) held an expanded meeting in Tripoli this week with high-level European actors to discuss regional coordination to tackle illegal migration.
On 8 July, PM Abdul Hameed Dabaiba opened the meeting in the presence of the Ministers of Interior of Libya, Italy, Greece and Malta, as well as the European Commissioner for Internal Affairs and Migration, Magnus Brunner. He said the meeting aimed to explore cooperation mechanisms in strengthening border security and combating cross-border human trafficking networks.
In his speech, Dabaiba stressed that that Libya is facing a real battle against gangs and armed groups that benefit from the immigration file and engage in human smuggling and organized crime. He said he has commissioned the Ministry of Interior to prepare a comprehensive national plan to deal with this issue, focusing on practical cooperation with partners and reflecting a clear political will to build sustainable solutions. A national campaign will soon be launched to combat human trafficking with international support. Dabaiba said the GNU has launched a security campaign against smuggling gangs in the west of the country. He also called for clear political support to restore security and stability and said Libya is committed to the outcomes of the Mediterranean Forum.
Libyan Minister of Interior Emad Trabelsi stated that the Libyan plan begins with increasing the rates of voluntary deportation, and will include the deportation of those who entered the country illegally and cause security or social problems. He said his ministry seeks to strengthen security inside and outside cities, regulate and secure borders in order to prevent the flow of migrants, deport migrants present inside the country and settle the situation of those who need the Libyan labor market according to the laws of the state. He noted there are between three to four million illegal immigrants in Libya. He stressed the GNU aspires to sign an official agreement with the European Union to institutionalize this file and effectively ensure burden-sharing and stability in Libya and the region.
Maltese Interior Minister Byron Camilleri says that his country considers Libya a strategic partner in the fight against illegal immigration and other files, noting the ‘deep and historical friendship’ between the two countries.
Greek Migration Minister Thanos Plevris said Greece would try to help Libya as much as possible, especially with regard to migrants who want to reach Europe, stressing they are part of the solution. He added that 1400 migrants have arrived in Crete from Libya in the last 3 days.
Italian Interior Minister Matteo Piantedosi said, ‘We know the great effort made by Libya to prevent or reduce irregular migration by sea, but this year the number of migrants arriving in Europe via the Libyan route has increased significantly, especially Bengalis and Eritreans, and I am sure that our cooperation will result in solutions in this area.’ He also said that he had presented a ‘donation’ to Libya consisting of 4 naval boats that will be delivered to the Libyan Coast Guard to repel migrants as part of the international cooperation program between Libya and the EU.