On Thursday, Evarist Bartolo, Maltese Foreign Minister, will arrive in Tripoli to meet his Libyan counterpart from the Interim Government, Mohamed Siala. They are to discuss regional stability, in addition to the issue of illegal immigration.
It is expected that Bartolo, who is joined by a governmental delegation, will also discuss further cooperation between the two countries.
The Maltese government is under domestic pressure due to a surge in the arrival of migrants. About 200 people were taken ashore last week, after being rescued by the Maltese Armed Forces.
It was found that half of these immigrants had tested positive for COVID-19, a sign of the deteriorating health situation in Libya, according to the Malta Today newspaper.
In May, Maltese Prime Minister, Robert Abela, travelled to Libya to secure the authorities’ cooperation on the issue of immigration. Malta and Italy have faced a stifling crisis due to the increasing flow of migrants since the beginning of the year.
A delegation from the Government of National Accord (GNA), headed by Prime Minister Fayez Al-Sarraj, went to Malta in early July and held joint talks with the Maltese authorities. The Interior Minister of the GNA, Fathi Bashagha, said at the time that the discussions that took place between the two governments focused on political, economic, and security issues. He also added that the GNA was looking forward to seeing the results of this unique relationship.