The Tripoli based Libyan Ministry of Interior announced today that, as part of the ongoing efforts to enhance security and combat organised crime, it participated in the second meeting of the Mini Dublin Group.
The meeting brought together representatives of Spain, the Netherlands, France, Malta, Japan, Romania, Austria, Italy and Greece, as well as the participation of prominent international organizations, including the European Union Border Assistance Mission (EUBAM), the European Union Mission in Libya and the United Nations Office on Drugs and Crime (UNODC).
The meeting discussed several pivotal issues, most notably supporting the Ministry of Interior’s request to lift international sanctions imposed on some police equipment and technologies, which are essential to enable the security services to perform their tasks effectively. They also stressed the importance of EUBAM support to the Libyan state in securing its land borders, especially the south.
The Dublin and Mini Dublin Group
The Dublin Group was established in Dublin in 1990 and is an informal co-ordination group made up of like-minded countries that meets periodically with three main objectives: firstly, to analyse and exchange views on international drug problems – as regards production, trafficking and abuse – particularly in mainly producing and transit countries. Secondly, to make recommendations both to its members and to its partner countries on how to address these problems. Thirdly, to co-ordinate their response to these problems particularly as regards their members’ cooperation with partner countries.
Members of the Dublin Group are the European Commission and the Member States of the EU, the United States, Canada, Australia, Japan and Norway. The UNODC also participates in the Group’s meetings and the Secretariat of the Group is assured by the EU Council Secretariat.
The Mini-Dublin Groups (one per host country) consist of representatives from the Missions and Embassies of Dublin Group members in each host country. They usually meet twice a year. The reports for these meetings, which are drawn up by the Chair, focus on three main areas of work:
1) the drug situation and policy initiatives in the host country;
2) review of the co-operation of Dublin Group members with the host country; and
3) analysis of priorities and recommendations for further cooperation. In addition to preparing these reports, these meetings are also used by their members for both coordinating their action in the host country and maintaining a dialogue with the drug authorities in that country.
