Libya secures funding to stem migration through Mediterranean

Britain has entered into an agreement with Libya to curb the flow of migrants across the Mediterranean. Under this agreement, financial support will be provided to Libya to facilitate the repatriation of migrants to their respective home countries and stall risky sea journeys.

Announcing the agreement, Michael Tomlinson, the US Minister of State for Illegal Immigration, noted that the scheme is a step towards driving down migration numbers.

He stressed the importance of voluntary returns in achieving this goal of addressing the global migration crisis.

As part of the deal, the UK has committed £1 million to assist Libya in facilitating the safe return of migrants to their countries of origin.

Libya stands as a primary departure point for migrants seeking passage to Europe. Nearly 40,000 individuals made the journey last year alone despite the dangers inherent, accounting for more than a quarter of the 150,000 total Mediterranean crossings in 2023.

In addition to the agreement with Libya, Britain has signed similar upstream deals with other nations, such as Turkey, the main source of small boats crossing the Channel.

The recent agreement with Libya was concluded during Tomlinson’s visit to the country, where discussions on illegal migration were held with Prime Minister Abdul Hamid Dbeibeh.

Tomlinson also engaged with Libyan law enforcement and the National Crime Agency who are working to disrupt and dismantle people smuggling networks operating within the region.

Recall that the United Nations migration agency said at least 8,565 migrants perished on land and sea routes around the world in 2023, the highest record since the body began tracking deaths of migrants a decade ago.

The most significant rise occurred on the perilous Mediterranean Sea crossing, which rose to 3,129 from 2,411 in 2022, the International Organization for Migration (IOM) announced on Wednesday.

“As we mark the Missing Migrants Project’s ten years, we first remember all these lives lost. Every single one of them is a terrible human tragedy that reverberates through families and communities for years to come,” said IOM Deputy Director General Ugochi Daniels. “These horrifying figures collected by the Missing Migrants Project are also a reminder that we must recommit to greater action that can ensure safe migration for all, so that 10 years from now, people aren’t having to risk their lives in search of a better one.”

Africa recorded the highest death toll after Asia, with 1,866 killed, mostly in the Sahara Desert and along the sea route to the Canary Islands.

The Geneva-based migration agency warned that their total likely underestimates the exact death toll, adding that improved data-gathering procedures are a factor in its calculations.