Libya denies reports of plans to resettle immigrants within country

by IANS |

Tripoli, March 10 (IANS) Libya's Government of National Unity (GNU) refuted reports alleging that Libya plans to resettle undocumented immigrants within the country, saying the reports are "misleading" and "completely false" in an official statement.

The denial comes amid social media claims of a statement by Minister of Local Governance Badr Al-Din Al-Toumi regarding the settlement of undocumented immigrants in Libya. The claims surfaced following his meeting on Saturday in Tripoli with Nicoletta Giordano, chief of the International Organization for Migration mission in Libya, Xinhua news agency reported.

The GNU reiterated Libya's steadfast position on illegal migration, recalling its categorical rejection of immigrant resettlement plans during the Trans-Mediterranean Migration Forum held in Tripoli in July 2024.

It also affirmed Libya's commitment to collaborating with the European Union and international partners to tackle illegal immigration, emphasising respect for national sovereignty and human rights.

Since the fall of Muammar Gaddafi in 2011, Libya has become a primary departure point for African immigrants attempting to cross the Mediterranean Sea to reach European shores.

Earlier in February, Libyan Prime Minister Abdul-Hamed Dbeibah stressed that his government supports the UN efforts to enhance stability in Libya.

Dbeibah made the remarks during a meeting with Hanna Serwaa Tetteh, the newly-appointed Special Representative of the UN Secretary-General for Libya and Head of the UN Support Mission in Libya (UNSMIL), in the capital Tripoli, according to a statement issued by the Libyan Government.

"Prime Minister Abdul-Hamed Dbeibah received the Special Envoy of the UN Secretary-General to Libya, Hanna Serwaa Tetteh, in her first official meeting after officially assuming her duties," the statement said.