Libya rejects EU plan to create refugee and migrant centers in Africa



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The formal rejection by Libyan Prime Minister, Fayez al-Sarraj, dealt a blow to Italy, which is considered close to his Tripoli administration.

In June, Italy proposed reception and identification centers in Africa

The stalemate occurred while the EU declared that it was "deadly". she was willing to work as a temporary crisis center to oversee the distribution of refugees and migrants from ships landing in Europe from Libya.

Italy said it did not want to open its ports and may even reject those rescued by the EU's search and rescue mission Sophia, a stance that has infuriated other states from the EU. : "We are absolutely opposed to what Europe wants to officially welcome illegal immigrants that the EU does not want to accept."

He rejected accusations that the Libyan coastguard had fired at aid workers in ships trying to save people from the Mediterranean. 19659002] "We save hundreds of people off the coast of Libya every day – our ships are constantly moving," he said. In practice, Libya already manages detention camps, mainly as cages, but they are not managed by the EU for asylum applications.

European foreign ministers agreed Monday to further train the Libyan coastguard. The President of the European Parliament, Antonio Tajani, said after a trip to Niger, one of the main funnels for people in Libya, that the EU needed to spend more money in the region Sahel to reduce the need to leave the area. He said that the number of people arriving in Libya from Niger was collapsing.

Tajani said: "Up until 2016, 90% of irregular migrants traveled across Niger to Libya and Europe.In two years, Niger has reduced migration flows by 95% , from more than 300,000 to about 10,000 in 2018. "

He said he would hold a European conference in Brussels in October to support the democratic elections in Libya scheduled for December. At the same time, Italy will hold a new conference in Rome in September, following a conference organized in May by French President Emmanuel Macron, which resulted in a commitment to hold elections this year. year. [19659013] [ad_2]
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