The Chief of Staff of the Libyan Navy, Major General Shuaib Youssef Al-Saber, met with the Italian military attaché on Wednesday. The political adviser to the Italian Consulate in Benghazi was also present at the meeting. The primary focus was on curbing the flow of illegal migrants via the Mediterranean by enhancing maritime surveillance and intelligence sharing.
The discussions included efforts to combat smuggling operations at sea, such as drug and weapon trafficking. Both sides explored ways to collaborate on tackling organised crime across the seas, particularly human trafficking.
A key point of the meeting was the potential for training programmes for Libyan naval officers, non-commissioned officers, and soldiers to strengthen their abilities in maritime threat management. Additionally, they considered the possibility of Libyan students enrolling at the Italian Naval Academy to benefit from Italian maritime expertise.
The Italian military attaché expressed his readiness to convey Libya’s desire for increased maritime cooperation to the higher authorities in Italy. He reaffirmed his support for this initiative, praising the discipline of the Libyan Navy and the secure environment in Benghazi, alongside the ongoing reconstruction projects.
The Italian official also expressed his gratitude and appreciation for the efforts of the Libyan Armed Forces, led by Field Marshal Khalifa Haftar. He acknowledged the Libyan Navy’s dedication to maintaining national security despite limited resources and thanked them for their hospitality.
The meeting concluded with an exchange of commemorative gifts, symbolising the deep bilateral relations between Libya and Italy and their commitment to enhancing cooperation in various fields, especially in maritime affairs.
Last month, the International Organization for Migration (IOM) announced that it has voluntarily repatriated 80,000 irregular migrants from Libya to their home countries. This initiative is part of the IOM’s voluntary return program.
According to a statement from the organization, “Since 2015, the IOM has assisted 80,000 migrants in returning safely and with dignity from Libya to their countries of origin through the Voluntary Humanitarian Return program.”
