A technical delegation from the European Union will visit Libya on Saturday to focus on migration and border management, as reported by diplomatic sources in Brussels to the Italian news agency Nova.
The sources revealed that the visit aims to assess the progress made by Libyan authorities on crucial issues. These include human rights and migrant protections, improving sea search and rescue procedures, and the activities of UN agencies in assisting detention centres and facilitating voluntary return processes.
Diplomatic sources also mentioned that the level of European and member state participation in the migration conference, scheduled by the Government of National Unity for 17 July, will depend on the success of this mission.
Regarding Benghazi, the sources noted that Brussels recognises the importance of including eastern Libya in discussions on such a critical topic as migration. They pointed out that Benina International Airport is a hub for Asian migrants who enter Libya as workers but often end up crossing the Mediterranean to Greece or Italy.
The sources added that the vast southern desert borders, easily crossed by tens of thousands of Sudanese refugees fleeing war, have created a severe humanitarian crisis in Kufra due to displaced persons.
The visit to the east will be coordinated with Saddam Haftar, son of Field Marshal Khalifa Haftar, noted for being more open to the West than his brothers Khalid and Belqasim.
Nova highlighted that the broader political goal of visiting the east is to try to distance Haftar from Russian influence. The US Ambassador nominee to Libya, Jennifer Gavito, warned the U.S. Senate Foreign Relations Committee about Russia’s activities in Libya and its efforts to destabilise NATO’s southern flank.
In Tripoli, the EU delegates will also hold bilateral meetings with UN agencies such as the International Organisation for Migration and the UN High Commissioner for Refugees. The goal is to develop a shared vision, considering that the EU is the main funder of UN activities in Libya, including managing migration flows.
