The European Union’s ambassador to Libya, Nicola Orlando, announced on Sunday the opening of a border training centre in Sabratha, affiliated with the Border Guards under the Ministry of Defence in Libya’s Government of National Unity.
The centre was established in cooperation with Italy’s Ministry of Interior and funded through an EU programme, according to Orlando.
The EU ambassador emphasised that supporting Libya in managing its borders and conducting search-and-rescue operations in compliance with human rights is a cornerstone of the EU-Libya partnership.
Orlando noted that “outstanding Libyan officers will continue saving lives, combating human trafficking, and addressing irregular migration thanks to sustained European support and human rights training led by the International Organization for Migration (IOM).”
The issue of border security is a key element of the Libya-Italy relationship. Last Thursday, Libya’s Ministry of Interior discussed cooperation with its Italian counterpart on maritime security and the maintenance of patrol vessels.
The talks took place during a meeting in Tripoli between the Director of the General Administration for Coastal Security and a representative from Italy’s Ministry of Interior, with the Head of the European Affairs Division at the Department of International Relations also in attendance.
