Europe to help Libya as migrant crisis worsens

Italian and EU officials are to send equipment and economic aid to Libya to help in the campaign against people smuggling in North Africa, it was revealed yesterday. The decision comes as the leader of Tripoli’s UN-backed government asked for more resources to help in the crisis.

Italy has hosted a meeting of interior ministers from eight EU countries to strengthen support for last month’s agreement to help Libya fight human trafficking. The Head of the Presidency Council, Fayez Al-Sarraj, requested “more money and equipment,” according to a source present at the meeting.

“Now there must be very significant investments,” Italian Interior Minister Marco Minniti told journalists. “There’s a total and absolute commitment to do this.”

Read: EU says the ‘The real issue is on the ground in Libya’

According to EU Migration Commissioner Dimitris Avramopoulos, the flow of migrants to Italy unfortunately continues to increase. “If there’s one country under huge pressure, it’s Italy,” he added.

The number of boats arriving in Italy has increased by around 50 per cent compared to the same period last year, with 3,300 migrants rescued from rubber boats off the coast of Libya on Sunday alone and another 420 in the past two days.

Sarraj is seeking a total of €800 million and a list of equipment, including four helicopters and 20 boats, Italy’s Corriere della Sera newspaper reported on Monday. The first of 10 patrol boats promised to Libya’s coastguard will be sent by mid-May, Minniti confirmed.

“There will be camps established in collaboration with humanitarian organisations with full respect for peoples’ rights,” the Italian minister explained, adding that migrants will be able to seek asylum in Europe from the camps in Libya.