European Council calls for enhanced border management in Libya

20 Octobre 2017

Brussels, Belgium, October 20 (Infosplusgabon) - The European Council has reiterated the importance of working with the Libyan authorities and all neighbours of Libya to enhance border management capacity and underscored the urgency of supporting the development of the local communities in Libya along the migratory routes.

In resolutions adopted at its meeting on Thursday, the Council stated that the approach pursued by Member States and European Union (EU) institutions to ensure full control of the external borders is yielding results and must be consolidated.

“Overall, migratory flows are being significantly reduced and the number of deaths at sea has decreased,” the Council observed, underlining its determination to pursue its comprehensive, pragmatic and resolute approach, and to apply it wherever necessary.

Concerning the Central Mediterranean route, the Council said it encourages and calls for  support, including financial assistance, to the UN High Commissioner for Refugees (UNHCR) and International Organization for Migration (IOM) efforts in Libya, the Sahel and the region, including to further facilitate voluntary returns and resettlement and to improve reception conditions in cooperation with Libyan authorities so as to ensure the humane treatment of migrants.

According to the resolutions, made available to Infosplusgabon  press agency  on Friday, the European Council has committed to ensure sufficient and targeted funding, including through the North Africa window of the EU Trust Fund for Africa, to underpin the necessary migration-related actions in North Africa and finance all relevant projects in 2017 and beyond, with timely disbursements.

The meeting tasked the Council, with the assistance of the European Commission, to undertake immediate operational follow-up to ensure delivery on this commitment before the December European Council session.

In addition, the Council called for increased efforts to rapidly establish a permanent EU presence in Libya, taking account of the conditions on the ground.

FIN/INFOSPLUSGABON/ZAT/GABON 2017

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