Libyan foreign minister calls for collective action to solve migration issues
Tripoli, Libya (PANA) - The Libyan Foreign Minister of the Government of National Accord (GNA), Mohamed Siala, has told the 8th Ministerial Conference on Migration and Development that previous experiences have demonstrated the fragility of isolated and unilateral policies in solving the migration issue.
He has therefore called on all members to work collectively and jointly to find radical solutions.
Mr. Siala warned at the meeting, which ended on Monday in Marrakesh, Morocco, about the seriousness of this phenomenon, which leads to human trafficking, arms trafficking and the rise of terrorist groups.
He also stressed that "Libya is doing all it can" to limit the flow of migrants to Europe, despite its limited capacities, saying this is evident in the latest reports of 2019, which show that the rate of migration has decreased significantly.
On 3 January, the International Organization for Migration (IOM) issued a report on migration flows to Europe for 2019, revealing a significant drop in the number of migrants arriving across the Mediterranean, recording 14,500 migrants from Libya and Tunisia, against 24,815 in 2018.
The head of Libyan diplomacy recalled that his country has for years called for the need to develop the regions of origin of illegal migration in order to reduce the flow of migrants.
"Libya has invested billions of dollars in this framework, which many countries have not agreed on, including members of the eighth Ministerial Conference on Migration and Development in Marrakesh, Morocco."
The Conference held on 1-2 March, brought together the foreign ministers of the "Dialogue 5-5" countries: Morocco, Algeria, Spain, France, Italy, Libya, Malta, Morocco, Mauritania, Portugal and Tunisia, in addition to the African Union, Economic Community of West African States, European Union, Arab Maghreb Union, Union for the Mediterranean, IOM, UN Conference on Trade and Development as observers.
In late February, Fayez al-Sarraj, President of the Presidential Council of the Government of National Accord, appealed to representatives of the European Union countries at the meeting of the United Nations Council for Human Rights in Geneva, to support a solution in Libya, because the stability of the North African country makes it possible to better secure its borders and offer thousands of jobs to workers in African countries, as was the case in the past.
It is estimated that more than one million migrants are in Libya, many of whom are settled and working, who have integrated into the society, while between 3,000 and 4,000 of them are in shelters for illegal migrants.
Others are in an irregular situation, making them easy prey for organised gangs who have taken advantage of insecurity in Libya to engage in the trafficking of vulnerable people.
-0- PANA BY/JSG/BBA/MA 3March2020
