Libya’s Minister of Interior in the Government of National Unity, Emad Al-Trabelsi, revealed that the number of illegal immigrants in Libya has reached 4 million, adding in a meeting at the Ministry of Interior headquarters on Monday that Libya will not bear the burden of this issue alone in light of the security and economic challenges resulting from the continued flow of immigrants into Libyan territory.
The meeting included several ambassadors and chargé d’affaires from the embassies of the European Union and the African Union in Libya, along with representatives from the EU mission, the International Organization for Migration (IOM), and the United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees (UNHCR).
Al-Trabelsi explained that the crises Libya is facing have worsened the complexity of this issue, with estimates pointing to over 4 million immigrants inside Libyan territory. He stressed that this represents a serious security and economic challenge. He warned that “the continued flow of immigrants without controls will lead to the deterioration of security and social conditions, not only in Libya but throughout the entire region.”
The Interior Minister emphasized that Libya will not bear the burden of illegal immigration alone and will not, under any circumstances, become a resettlement zone. He stressed that Libyan sovereignty and national security interests take precedence over any other considerations. Al-Trabelsi argued that the root solution to the illegal immigration crisis starts with securing Libya’s southern borders — not just by monitoring the coasts, as per the European Union's focus.
Al-Trabelsi called on EU countries and other nations affected by this phenomenon to take responsibility and provide tangible support to Libya by strengthening security at its southern borders. This includes providing modern equipment and technologies to monitor illegal movements, speeding up the process of voluntary deportation of illegal immigrants in coordination with international organizations, and combating human trafficking and smuggling networks through tough measures and targeting organized crime hubs.
