Libya steps up deportations of Sub-Saharan African migrants

Libyan authorities have announced a major ramp-up in deporting irregular migrants, mostly from sub-Saharan Africa, back to their home countries.

The move comes as European nations step up efforts to stop migrant arrivals. With Italy just 300 kilometres away, Libya remains a main departure point for thousands risking dangerous sea journeys to Europe each year.

At a press conference in Tripoli, Interior Minister Imad Trabelsi emphasized that Libya has received limited international support in handling migration, despite significant efforts by Libyan authorities.

The European Union says it has spent over half a billion euros on migration issues in Libya between 2015 and 2027.

Trabelsi noted that as many as three million irregular migrants have passed through Libya in the last 15 years, often arriving with their families, raising concerns over long-term settlement.

The minister stressed Libya will not act as a holding ground for migrants intercepted at sea. He outlined a repatriation programme, aiming to return thousands of migrants, especially women, children, and the elderly, with two flights per week scheduled this month.

Meanwhile, Libya continues to host hundreds of thousands of Sudanese refugees fleeing conflict, with government orders to grant them access to healthcare and education.

According to the International Organization for Migration, 25,000 migrants have been intercepted and returned to Libya so far this year, including women and children.