Tripoli, Minister of Foreign and International Cooperation Najla Al Mangoush said ‘migration is a sad saga and a humanitarian issue endured by migrants in their quest for a better life for them and their children.
Speaking at a joint press conference with the visiting Foreign Ministers of Italy and Malta Luigi Di Maio and Evarist Bartolo and the EU Commissioner for Neighborhood and Enlargement Olivér Várhelyi, Al Mangoush said ‘ the big question is the priority for Libya, as a country finding its way toward peace, security and stability, being a nation that suffered most from the consequences of illegal migration, that requires us to follow a more comprehensive approach to this problem.
The Foreign Minister said she felt, from the meeting she had with the European delegation, a strong dedication for this spiky and sensitive issue.
Despite reluctance of Libya in joining the Migration Agreement of 1951 and non-commitment to its legal provisions, Al Mangoush said Libya had never relinquished its humanitarian obligation toward this problem.
She revealed that a number of solutions have been reached during the talks, which will have a positive impact on Libya, the neighboring countries and Europe, including securing our southern borders which is a priority, with technical and material support from the EU to protect the South, being a transit passage for migrants.
Al Mangoush said Libya was prepared to assist migrants return to their countries given that Libya is a transit country, which is within the humanitarian solutions to this problem.
Source: Libyan News Agency