di Vanessa Tomassini
The Libyan capital, Tripoli, will host the Mediterranean Migration Forum mid-month, with the participation of European and African heads of state and government, most notably Italian Prime Minister Giorgia Meloni.
The forum will address the issue of irregular migration and establish a strategic framework to enhance dialogue and cooperation between Africa and Europe on this matter. It aims to gradually tackle the crisis from countries of origin to transit and destination countries, given that this crisis has significantly impacted both sides of the Mediterranean, reaching its peak over the last decade.
The forum will focus on the necessity of addressing the root causes of irregular migration through sustainable development, improving governance, and strengthening cooperation. This includes investing in economic opportunities, education, and healthcare in the source countries.
In a statement to Le Monde, Libyan Minister of State for Communication and Political Affairs and Forum President Walid Lafi emphasized that the Mediterranean Migration Forum represents a forward-looking approach to one of the most pressing issues of our time. By adopting a comprehensive strategy, the complex dynamics of irregular migration can be addressed.
Lafi noted that this initiative is not just about managing migration flows; it aims to create a future where opportunities and stability are available for all, thereby reducing the need for perilous journeys across the Mediterranean.
As a minister in the government and president of the forum, Lafi provided an important perspective on the challenges and opportunities surrounding migration in the region. The initiative seeks to solve the problem in a collective framework and through successive stages, which will be presented to representatives of European and African countries during the forum’s activities.
The forum is expected to see participation from representatives of African and European governments, as well as international organizations concerned with migration and human rights. Participants will address various issues, including improving border management, enhancing rescue and relief mechanisms for migrants, and providing necessary support to host countries.
New Approach:
The Libyan Government of National Unity, by chairing the forum, seeks to present two main pathways that reflect Libya’s comprehensive vision on the issue of irregular migration. The first pathway, involving heads of state and government, addresses the matter at a strategic level, aiming to formulate a unified vision and policies, develop the foundations of Euro-African relations based on mutual respect and shared interests, and plan rapid humanitarian response policies that ensure the rights and safety of migrants. The second pathway, involving interior ministers and security officials, addresses security cooperation, experience exchange, and information sharing, making it a multi-dimensional approach (geopolitical, security, humanitarian).
According to Forum President Walid Lafi, one of the most active ministers in the Libyan government, the forum will focus on three main areas: shifting from security approaches to developmental ones, creating developmental financial tools for economically challenged countries, and developing policies based on mutual interest and respect.
Efforts and Movements:
With an undisclosed mandate from the European Union, Rome has coordinated with transit countries, Libya and Tunisia, providing financial and technical assistance to stop the influx of migrants to European shores. This is reflected in the successive visits of Italian Prime Minister Giorgia Meloni and her meetings with senior officials in both countries. Meloni met multiple times with Libyan Prime Minister Abdul Hamid Dbeibeh and Tunisian President Kais Saied, with the migration issue topping the agenda each time. These visits resulted in a tripartite agreement between Libya, Tunisia, and Algeria, initiated at the Tunis summit held last May, with the final statement emphasizing the three countries’ commitment to joint efforts to enhance border security and address the migration phenomenon.
To stem the flow of migrant boats, the European Union launched a program in 2014 to train and equip the Libyan coast guard, aiming to stop migrants from reaching European shores. Since then, the Libyan coast guard has been gathering migrants intercepted in Mediterranean waters into special centers for irregular migrants.
The European Union, behind Italy, continues to monitor the issue with Libyan authorities in both the east and west, focusing on how migrants are managed and preventing their arrival at the borders by providing financial and technical support, especially to the coast guard, to handle the numbers heading to sea. However, the EU’s plan for Libya’s next steps remains unclear, whether recommending settling migrants in Libya or allowing Libya to decide on their repatriation, a difficult task under current conditions.
A Shared Burden:
This forum comes at a time when the Mediterranean region is witnessing an increase in irregular migrants, necessitating international efforts to address this phenomenon.
The forum is expected to result in new recommendations and initiatives aimed at improving the humanitarian conditions for migrants and sustainably reducing the flow of irregular migration.
The forum’s core idea is that the policies of the so-called Global North towards source countries and Africa, in general, are part of the problem. Therefore, the aim is to address this issue through the previously mentioned points, which the Libyan Government of National Unity strives to resolve and change these policies through effective solutions that reduce this growing phenomenon day by day.
