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Libya rejects EU plan for migrant centres Libya rejects EU plan for refugee and migrant centres
(about 1 hour later)
Libya has rejected a European Union plan to establish migrant centres in the country, adding that its decision would not be swayed by any financial inducements. Libya has rejected a EU plan to establish refugee and migrant processing centres in the country, adding that it would not be swayed by any financial inducements to change its decision.
The formal rejection by the Libyan prime minister, Fayez al-Sarraj, is a blow to Italy, which is regarded as being close to Sarraj’s Tripoli administration. The formal rejection by the Libyan prime minister, Fayez al-Sarraj, is a blow to Italy, which is regarded as being close to his Tripoli administration.
In June, Italy proposed reception and identification centres for migrant processing in Africa as a means of resolving divisions among European governments. In June, Italy proposed reception and identification centres in Africa as a means of resolving divisions among European governments.
The impasse came as the EU said it was willing to work as a temporary crisis centre to oversee the distribution of migrants from ships landing in Europe from Libya. Italy has said it is not willing to open its ports and may even reject migrants rescued by the EU Sophia search and rescue mission, a position that has infuriated other EU states. The impasse came as the EU said it was willing to work as a temporary crisis centre to oversee the distribution of refugees and migrants from ships landing in Europe from Libya. Italy has said it is not willing to open its ports and may even reject those rescued by the EU Sophia search and rescue mission, a position that has infuriated other EU states.
Speaking to the German daily newspaper Bild, Serraj said: “We are absolutely opposed to Europe officially wanting us to accommodate illegal immigrants the EU does not want to take in.” Speaking to the German newspaper Bild, Serraj said: “We are absolutely opposed to Europe officially wanting us to accommodate illegal immigrants the EU does not want to take in.”
He dismissed accusations that Libya’s coastguard had shot at aid workers in ships trying to rescue migrants. He dismissed accusations that Libya’s coastguard had shot at aid workers in ships trying to rescue people from the Mediterranean.
“We save hundreds of people off the coast of Libya every day – our ships are constantly on the move,” he said. In practice, Libya is already running detention camps, largely as holding pens, but they are not run as EU processing centres for asylum claims.” “We save hundreds of people off the coast of Libya every day – our ships are constantly on the move,” he said. In practice, Libya is already running detention camps, largely as holding pens, but they are not run as EU processing centres for asylum claims.
The EU foreign affairs ministers meeting on Monday agreed to do more to train the Libyan coastguard by setting up its own training team inside Libya. European foreign ministers agreed at a meeting on Monday to do more to train the Libyan coastguard by setting up the EU’s own training team inside Libya.
The European parliament president, Antonio Tajani, said after a trip to Niger, one of the chief funnels for migrants into Libya, that the EU needed to plough more money into the Sahel to reduce the need to leave the area. He said the number of migrants from Niger reaching Libya was collapsing. The European parliament president, Antonio Tajani, said after a trip to Niger, one of the chief funnels for people into Libya, that the EU needed to plough more money into the Sahel region to reduce the need to leave the area. He said the number of people reaching Libya from Niger was collapsing.
Tajani said: “Until 2016, 90% of irregular migrants travelled through the Niger to Libya and Europe. In just two years, Niger reduced migration flows by 95%, from over 300,000 to about 10,000 in 2018.”Tajani said: “Until 2016, 90% of irregular migrants travelled through the Niger to Libya and Europe. In just two years, Niger reduced migration flows by 95%, from over 300,000 to about 10,000 in 2018.”
He said he was to host a European conference to support democratic elections in Libya in Brussels in October. He said he would host a European conference in Brussels in October to support democratic elections in Libya scheduled for December.
At the same time, Italy is to host a further conference in Rome in September seen as a follow-on to a conference held earlier this year by the French president, Emmanuel Macron, that led to a commitment to hold elections this year. At the same time, Italy is to host a further conference in Rome in September seen as a follow-on to a conference held in May by the French president, Emmanuel Macron, that led to a commitment to hold elections this year.
LibyaLibya
European UnionEuropean Union
RefugeesRefugees
MigrationMigration
AfricaAfrica
Middle East and North AfricaMiddle East and North Africa
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