The Libyan Minister of Interior in the Parliament-designated government, Major General Essam Abu Zariba held a meeting on Monday with the Head of the Anti-Illegal Immigration Agency, Major General Nouri Mohamed Al-Saadi.
The two sides discussed the best ways to address the crucial issues related to illegal immigration, and ongoing efforts to combat it.
According to a statement, the meeting delved into mechanisms to enhance and support the Agency, covering human, financial, and technological resources.
They emphasised bolstering the agency’s capabilities in detecting illegal migration networks, and combating human trafficking, aiming to mitigate this phenomenon and safeguard community safety.
In another context, discussions revolved around the arrangements for the Interior Minister’s upcoming visit to the southern region. The visit aims to inspect efforts in combating illegal migration in the region, assess challenges and specific needs, and take necessary steps to enhance security.
Last week, the Tobruk branch of the Agency announced the deportation of 7,706 illegal migrants from the city during the year 2023.
According to statistics released by the branch, the migrants include 5,292 Sudanese, 1,045 Egyptians, 510 Pakistanis, 481 Chadians, 193 Bangladeshis, 104 Syrians, 70 Nigerians, as well as five Yemenis, four Ghanaians, three Indians, and individuals from Tunisia, Ethiopia, and Eritrea.
The branch highlighted that among the deported migrants, 491 individuals were found to be infected with hepatitis B, HIV/AIDS, and other contagious diseases.
Earlier this month, Italian Interior Minister, Matteo Piantedosi stated that cooperation with Libya and Tunisia has prevented the arrival of 121,000 migrants to Italy in 2023, including those whose bodies were recovered at sea.
During a hearing in the Schengen Agreement Implementation Committee, Piantedosi revealed that 550 smugglers were apprehended in 2022 and 2023, as reported by the Italian news agency “ANSA.”
The Italian minister pointed out that 157,000 migrants, including 17,000 unaccompanied minors, arrived in Italy last year, compared to 105,000 in 2022, with 14,000 of them being minors.
He stated, “There was a significant increase, but it was contained to less than 50% over the months.”
Piantedosi added, “These figures do not align with the government’s objectives, but there could have been higher numbers if we had not implemented the measures we adopted in recent months.”
He further explained that the reception system has withstood the unusual influx, currently hosting approximately 140,000 migrants.