Last Tuesday (8 July) the Tripoli hosted a high-level ministerial meeting, in the presence of several interior ministers and representatives of European and international institutions, to discuss the worsening challenges associated with the phenomenon of irregular migration, in light of the growing need for a collective approach to confront this complex file, the Tripoli based Libyan government reported.
The meeting was attended by EU Commissioner for Home Affairs, Magnus Bronze, Greek Minister for Migration and Asylum, Thanos Plevris, Italian Interior Minister, Matteo Piantedosi, Maltese Minister of Home Affairs, Security and Employment, Byron Camilleri, as well as the Ambassador of the European Union Mission to Libya, Nicola Orlando, and Director General of the Directorate-General for the Middle East, North Africa and the Gulf of the European Union Ambassador Stefano Sannino.
In his speech, the Tripoli based Libyan Prime Minister, Abd Alhamid Aldabaiba, stressed that Libya is engaged in a real confrontation against gangs and armed groups that make a living from the migration file and are involved in human smuggling and organized crime, noting that these elements represent a direct threat to local and international security.
National Plan for Irregular migration
Aldabaiba explained that the government has tasked the Ministry of Interior since the beginning of this stage to prepare a comprehensive national plan to deal with this file, based on practical cooperation with partners and reflecting a clear political will to build sustainable solutions.
Campaign to be launched
The Prime Minister also pointed out that this plan complements a large-scale national campaign, which is being launched with the support of a number of friendly countries, and aims to dismantle smuggling networks, strengthen border control, and restore order in areas long exploited by organized crime.
Migration and security linked
He pointed out that dealing with the issue of migration cannot be separated from the general security context, as progress in extending state authority and dismantling hotbeds of chaos is directly reflected in border control and the reduction of illegal activities.
Call for international partnership not bas ed on interim solutions
The Prime Minister also added that the government’s vision is not limited to reducing flows only, but aims to build effective institutions that respect sovereignty and guarantee human dignity, calling for an international partnership based on mutual respect and shared responsibilities rather than interim solutions.
Interior Minister Trabelsi
For his part, the Minister of Interior-designate, Major General Imad Trabelsi, stated that the Libyan plan begins with increasing the rates of voluntary deportation, and will include the deportation of all those who entered the country illegally and caused security or social problems, noting that there are between three and four million irregular migrants in Libya.
Trabelsi stressed that this situation requires serious international cooperation, adding that the government aspires to sign an official agreement with the European Union to organize this file in an institutional and effective manner that ensures burden-sharing and promotes stability in Libya and the region.
During the meeting, the Ministry of Interior presented the plan to combat illegal immigration, during which the ministry seeks to enhance security inside and outside cities, control and secure borders in order to prevent the flow of migrants, deport migrants inside the country and settle the situation of those needed by the Libyan labour market in accordance with the laws of the state.
