By Libya Herald reporter.
Tunis, 4 August 2015:
The United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees (UNHCR) and the International Organisation for Migration (IOM) . . .[restrict]have held a workshop in Tunis this week to help Libyan agencies better cope with rescue operations for the tens of thousands of migrants heading north across the Mediterranean.
With the flow of migrants now at record levels, and the estimated number of deaths on the seas having passed the 2,000 mark, IOM and officials from the UNHCR offered advice on monitoring the coast, rescue and embarkation techniques.
A total of 19 Libyan participants attended the seminar, including officers from the Coast Guard, Port Security Department, the Directorate for Combatting Illegal Migration (DCIM) and the Libya Red Crescent (LRC).
UN officials note that Libya remains a hub for irregular movement, with ongoing conflict and lack of security seeing growing numbers of migrants risking their lives to go to Europe, mainly to Italy.
To date, UNHCR has recorded a total number of 4,561 refugees and migrants rescued by the Libyan Coast Guard alone while UNHCR Italy has recorded 89,000 that have arrived on their shores.
The UNHCR and IOM also encouraged the establishment of a ‘Contact Group’, to provide a forum for Libyan agencies to communicate and support each other to improve the humanitarian response.
Despite record numbers of deaths, Libyan coast guard units, often under-equipped, have been responsible for rescuing thousands of migrants in recent months.
The workshop also informed participants on the legal framework governing refugees and migrants, while speakers from ICRC/LRC and IMC explained how to guard against migrants with communicable diseases and procedures handling the remains of migrants who have drowned. [/restrict]
