Libya reiterates its refusal to bear the burden of illegal immigration alone
Tripoli, Libya (PANA) - Libya's interim Minister of the Interior in the government of national unity, Major- General Imad Mustafa al-Trabelsi, has stated that Libya will not bear the burden of illegal migration alone and will under no circumstances become a ‘resettlement zone’ for migrants.
He stressed that “Libyan sovereignty and national security take precedence over any other consideration”.
This was contained in in a speech he delivered at the enlarged meeting in Tripoli on Monday and attended by a number of ambassadors and chargés d'affaires from European Union (EU) countries and African Union (AU) embassies in Libya.
Also present were representatives of the European Union Mission, the International Organization for Migration (IOM) and the Office of the United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees (UNHCR).
Maj-Gen. al-Trabelsi explained that the crises facing the country had increased the complexity of the migration issue, as statistical estimates indicate the presence of over 4 million migrants within Libyan territory, representing an extremely serious security and economic challenge.
A statement from the Ministry of the Interior warned that the continued uncontrolled flow of migrants would worsen the security and social situation, not only in Libya, but throughout the region.
The Libyan minister stressed that the ultimate solution to the illegal immigration crisis began with securing the southern borders, and not just by monitoring the coastline, as the European Union had emphasized, reaffirming that Libya would not agree to serve as a protective shield for others without receiving the necessary support in return.
The Libyan official called on the countries of the European Union and countries affected by this phenomenon to assume their responsibilities and provide Libya with effective support by strengthening security on its southern borders.
They must also provide modern equipment and technologies to monitor illegal movements, speed up the voluntary repatriation of illegal migrants in coordination with international organizations, and combat smuggling and human trafficking networks by taking strict measures and targeting the hotbeds of organized crime.
He also stressed the need to launch development projects in the countries of origin of migration to stem the roots of illegal migration, noting that Libya had suffered huge losses due to the repercussions of illegal migration and was no longer in a position to bear new burdens without clear and effective international support.
The Libyan Minister of the Interior also said that the chaos resulting from the failure to register migrants' identities, rising crime rates and the exploitation of this phenomenon by armed groups involved in human trafficking posed a direct threat to Libyan and regional security.
He stressed that Libya would not allow its territory to be exploited to promote projects that threatened its stability.
He said that, to effectively combat this phenomenon, a genuine partnership based on balanced commitments between Libya, the European Union and the countries of the African Union was required.
The meeting was attended by representatives from the Democratic Republic of Congo, Tunisia, Algeria, Egypt, Sudan, Bangladesh, Pakistan, Ghana, Nigeria, Niger, Chad and Mali, among others.
They included the Director of the Cabinet of the Minister of the Interior, the Head of the Criminal Investigation Department, the Head of the Passport Authority, Nationality and Aliens Affairs Authority, the Director of the Arab and International Criminal Police Office, and the Director of the Human Rights Office.
The rest were representatives from the Border Guard Service, the Department for Combating Illegal Immigration and the Head of the Organizations Department in the Office of the Minister of the Interior.
In recent years, Libya's position as both a transit and destination country for migrants has seen large waves of migrants, some of whom have fallen victim to networks of smugglers, traffickers and human traffickers, who take advantage of the insecurity to exploit them by organizing journeys on board makeshift boats, risking their lives to get to Europe.
-0- PANA BY/JSG/BBA/RA 18March2025
