Libyan authorities announced Tuesday they would intensify the return of mainly sub-Saharan African migrants, discouraging their settlement in Libya. Located just 300 kilometres from Italy, Libya has become a perilous launching ground for tens of thousands seeking Europe annually.
Interior Minister Imad Trabelsi urged the European Union, African Union, and Arab states to provide more support for Libya’s migration efforts. He said Libya received “very limited” assistance despite its substantial commitments to controlling irregular migration across its borders.
The EU reported spending 465 million euros on Libya between 2015 and 2021, and 65 million more for 2021–2027 projects. Trabelsi estimated three million irregular migrants lived in Libya over the past 15 years, with many arriving as families.
He emphasised Libya’s refusal to allow migrants intercepted at sea to gather or settle on Libyan soil. The country remains mired in instability since the 2011 NATO-backed uprising that ousted longtime leader Moamer Kadhafi.
Smugglers exploit the chaos, leading to human rights abuses, including extortion and modern slavery, rights groups warn. EU ambassador Nicola Orlando stressed that Europe does not plan to settle migrants in Libya, calling for voluntary returns.
Trabelsi said a national repatriation programme launched in October aims to return thousands, focusing on women, children, and the elderly. Libya plans two repatriation flights per week to countries including Chad, Somalia, and Mali, according to Trabelsi’s office.
The International Organization for Migration reported that 25,000 migrants were intercepted and returned this year, including over 3,000 women and children. Regarding Sudanese refugees fleeing war, Trabelsi instructed that up to 700,000 arrivals since April 2023 be treated as Libyans. They will receive access to healthcare and education, reflecting Libya’s official policy amid the ongoing humanitarian crisis.