The Libyan Prime Minister Abdul Hamid Dbeibah said on Monday that Libya "is a transit country and not a destination one for illegal immigrants, and is working to cooperate with all relevant countries in this file".
Dbeibah followed up during a meeting with the UK's The Minister of State for Countering Illegal Migration, Michael Tomlinson, and his accompanying delegation in Libya, on aspects of cooperation between Libya and the UK in the issue of illegal immigration, as Dbeibah confirmed his appreciation for the UK's interest in combating illegal immigration, and its desire to cooperate with Libya, according to a statement issued by Dbeibah's government.
In a separate meeting, the Deputy Head of the Presidential Council, Mossa Al-Koni, discussed with the British Minister the file of illegal immigration and its repercussions on Libya and Europe, as both parties stressed their support for Libya in securing its southern borders, combating organized crime, and reducing the flow of immigrants toward the north.
The meeting, which was attended by the Kingdom's ambassador to Libya, and the Advisor to the Chief of the General Staff for Security and Border Affairs, discussed the situation in neighboring countries that are witnessing instability and the repercussions on the fragile situation in southern Libya, which became an area for smuggling operations, illegal immigration, and organized crime.
The British Minister confirmed that his country's government placed the issue of illegal immigration among its first concerns, and it had been working hard with the relevant countries to overcome this issue, citing the UK's desire to cooperate with Libya in this file as it is one of the countries affected by immigration's repercussions.
