On 14 October, a joint delegation of Libyan officials from western and eastern Libya visited the HQ of Frontex – the European Border and Coast Guard Agency – in Warsaw, Poland, where they discussed cooperation on the technical level. Western participants included officials from the Government of National Unity’s (GNU) Ministries of Foreign Affairs and Interior, as well as from the Coast Guard and the General Administration for Coastal Security. Eastern delegation members were from the Libyan National Army (LNA), including from the Navy, and from the GNS MoI’s Department for Combating Illegal Immigration.
On 15 and 16 October, the Libyan delegation visited Brussels, meeting senior EU officials to address migration management, border control, and humanitarian coordination. EU dialogue partners included representatives from the European Commission (Directorate-General for Home Affairs / DG HOME, Directorate-General for the Middle East, North Africa and the Gulf / DG MENA), the European External Action Service’s Directorate for Middle East and North Africa, the EU Border Assistance Mission in Libya, and from Operation IRINI.
The meetings focused on developing a unified national strategy for managing Libya’s land and sea borders, while aligning with international standards for search and rescue operations in the Mediterranean. A central outcome was the mutual agreement to intensify joint efforts to return irregular migrants from Libya to their countries of origin. These returns are to be conducted within humanitarian and legal frameworks, with particular emphasis on voluntary repatriation and reintegration. Both sides acknowledged the complex challenges involved, including the need to dismantle human trafficking and smuggling networks. The discussions also underscored the importance of working closely with United Nations agencies to ensure that migrant protection remains integral to Libya’s migration strategy. Enhancing Libya’s national capabilities in surveillance, rescue, and border management was seen as essential to achieving these goals in a coordinated, effective, and humane manner.