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Nato and EU ships to tackle people-trafficking in Libyan waters Libya may allow EU ships to pursue people-smugglers in its waters
(35 minutes later)
Libya’s UN-backed prime minister Fayez al-Serraj has said that Nato or EU ships could be permitted to operate in Libyan waters alongside the national military coastguard to slow the flow of human trafficking across the Mediterranean. Libya’s UN-backed prime minister, Fayez al-Serraj, has said Nato or EU ships could be permitted to operate in Libyan waters alongside the national military coastguard to slow the flow of people-smuggling across the Mediterranean.
The move came as a new report warned ahead of the EU special summit on people smuggling that parts of the Libyan coastguard is itself complicit in the smuggling, and said that returning anyone caught on boats to coastal detention centres was risky since conditions in the state and private detention centres are horrendous. The move came as a report claimed elements of the Libyan coastguard were complicit in the smuggling and said returning anyone caught on boats to coastal detention centres was risky since conditions there were horrendous.
Serraj’s go-ahead following talks on Wednesday at Nato will be a boost to EU plans to move its anti-smuggling mission Operation Sophia into Libyan waters to help prevent migrants reaching Europe. The EU is due to discuss a comprehensive plan for Libya at a special heads of state summit on Friday. Serraj’s comments after talks at Nato on Wednesday will be a boost to EU plans to move its anti-smuggling mission Operation Sophia into Libyan waters to help prevent migrants from reaching Europe. The EU is due to discuss a comprehensive plan for Libya at a special heads of state summit on Friday.
Smugglers’ boats currently can only be turned back to Libya if they are stopped inside Libyan waters, but both Nato and the EU need Libyan government consent to operate inside its sovereign waters. Tens of thousands of migrants face the risk of drowning this year as the smugglers’ networks benefit from the political chaos in Libya. “If there is something to be carried out jointly between the Libyan navy and any other party interested in extending a hand to the Libyan navy, that would be possible,” Serraj said.
Serraj said that “if there is something to be carried out jointly between the Libyan navy and any other party interested in extending a hand to the Libyan navy, that would be possible”. “Of course, we have to modernise our navy flotilla and enhance its capacities. Nato or any other friendly nation on a bilateral basis could extend a hand in this.”
He told reporters: “Of course, we have to modernise our navy flotilla and enhance its capacities. Nato or any other friendly nation on a bilateral basis could extend a hand in this.” Smugglers’ boats currently can only be turned back to Libya if they are stopped inside Libyan waters, but both Nato and the EU need Libyan government consent to operate inside its sovereign waters. This year tens of thousands of migrants will face the risk of drowning while the smugglers’ networks benefit from the political chaos in Libya.
Serraj, struggling to gain authority inside Libya, is under pressure not to be seen to be succumbing excessively to outsiders.Serraj, struggling to gain authority inside Libya, is under pressure not to be seen to be succumbing excessively to outsiders.
On Wednesday, Italy pledged €200m (£170m) in funds to several African countries as part of its drive to reduce migration at source. The new Africa Fund aimed at Niger, Libya and Tunisia will help bolster the “fight against human trafficking and illegal migration”, Italian foreign minister Angelino Alfano said. On Wednesday Italy pledged €200m (£170m) in funds to several African countries as part of its drive to reduce migration at source. The foreign minister, Angelino Alfano, said the fund – aimed at Niger, Libya and Tunisia – would help bolster the “fight against human trafficking and illegal migration”.
He said Europe was not trying to build a wall, but helping them to reduce the incentive to migrate. But a report by the Dutch Clingendael Institute thinktank drawing on first hand research warned: “Migrants that are intercepted or rescued at sea by the Libyan coastguard are sent back to detention centres where they often spend months languishing with no legal recourse, subject to the whims of their jailers. He said Europe was not trying to build a wall but helping countries to reduce the incentive to migrate.
“Migrants are also forced to phone home and are tortured to secure the release of more money from their families, or they are forced to work directly for a smuggler to repay their services and to continue their journey. Moreover, migrants are reportedly sold to criminal groups if they cannot pay for their voyage across the Mediterranean: for €15,000 they were sold to groups, mostly Egyptians, who are involved in removing and selling organs. Finally, based on self-reporting by migrants, up to 40% of migrants are forced onto boats. A report by the Clingendael Institute, a Dutch thinktank, drawing on first-hand research, said migrants intercepted or rescued at sea by the Libyan coastguard were sent to detention centres “where they often spend months languishing with no legal recourse, subject to the whims of their jailers”.
“Particularly in the northwestern part of Libya, migration is accompanied with absurdly high levels of crime and violence, and migrants are subject to the whims of the group that controls the area they are in. The line between smuggling and trafficking runs thin here, as cases of kidnapping, torture, sexual violence and killings are widespread, and the situation in and around detention centres for immigration is horrific.” It said some smugglers tortured migrants to secure the release of more money from their families, or forced them to work in order to continue their journey. “Moreover, migrants are reportedly sold to criminal groups if they cannot pay for their voyage across the Mediterranean: for €15,000 they were sold to groups, mostly Egyptians, who are involved in removing and selling organs. Finally, based on self-reporting by migrants, up to 40% of migrants are forced on to boats.”
The report added: “Particularly in the northwestern part of Libya, migration is accompanied with absurdly high levels of crime and violence, and migrants are subject to the whims of the group that controls the area they are in. The line between smuggling and trafficking runs thin here, as cases of kidnapping, torture, sexual violence and killings are widespread, and the situation in and around detention centres for immigration is horrific.”