Libya, Tunisia urge Europe to increase aid to help tackle migration crisis
North African countries seek assistance at Tripoli conference to help stem flow of refugees and migrants.
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Representatives from 28 African and European countries have met in Libya’s capital, Tripoli, to discuss ways to address irregular migration.
In his opening remarks at the beginning of the Trans-Mediterranean Migration Forum on Wednesday, Libyan Prime Minister Abdul Hamid Dbeibah said countries “have a moral responsibility” towards the people “who cross the desert and the sea” hoping to reach Europe.
The North African country is a main departure point for refugees and migrants, mostly from sub-Saharan African countries, risking dangerous sea journeys to seek better lives. The United Nations has registered more than 20,000 deaths and disappearances in the central Mediterranean since 2014, making it one of the most perilous migrant crossings in the world.
In recent years, the European Union has increased efforts to reduce migration, including by providing equipment and financial support to the Libyan Coast Guard, a quasi-military organisation linked to militias accused of abuses and other crimes.
As a result, many have found themselves stranded in Libya, often held in detention in conditions that rights groups describe as inhumane.
The International Organization for Migration said in May that there were more than 706,000 migrants in Libya at the start of the year, but Libyan officials say the actual number exceeds two million.
“Libya found itself caught in pressure between [Europe’s] turning back of migrants and [their] desire to migrate,” Dbeibah said, calling for development projects in departure countries.
“We can only resolve the migration crisis at the root, in the countries of departure,” he said.
