Tunisia and Libya agreement to share responsibility for providing shelter for hundreds of migrants stranded at their border

Date Adopted / Created / Concluded

A spokesperson for Tunisia's interior ministry said migrants were transferred to reception centres and provided with health and psychological care, with the help of the Tunisian Red Crescent. Tunisia and Libya announced on Thursday an agreement to share responsibility for providing shelter for hundreds of migrants stranded at their border. The migrants, mainly from sub-Saharan African countries, had been driven to the desert area of Ras Jedir by Tunisian authorities and left there to fend for themselves, according to witnesses, rights groups and UN agencies. Aid groups said hundreds of migrants from sub-Saharan African countries remain stranded there in life-threatening conditions.

Memorandum of Understanding between Libya and Italy

Date Adopted / Created / Concluded
The Libya-Italy Memorandum of Understanding on Migration (LIMUM) was extended until 2023. LIMUM provides Italian support to Libyan Cost Guard and other authorities of the Government of National Unity (GNA) to intercept vessels crossing the Mediterranean and return asylum-seekers to detention camps in Libya. The support has been about $100 million in training, ships, and equipment from Italy and the EU’s Trust Fund for Africa—the latter established for development in migrants’ home countries. Italy along with the EU, has invested millions of dollars since 2017 into the Libyan coast guard’s operations.

Memorandum of Understanding between Libya and Malta

Date Adopted / Created / Concluded

Malta and Libya have signed an MoU, valid for three years with an option to extend for an additional year, that sets up coordination centres, one in Malta and one in Libya, funded by Malta to coordinate and support regulation of migrant boats from Libya to European countries. It further stipulates that Malta propose to the EU Commission for increased financial support to strengthen Libyan border security including “for the interception and follow-up of human trafficking activities in the search and rescue region of the Mediterranean basin.”

Signing an agreement for cooperation between Libya’s Government of National Accord and the International Center for Migration Policy Development

Date Adopted / Created / Concluded
Libya's Government of National Accord (GNA) signed a cooperation agreement with the International Center for Migration Policy Development (ICMPD), aimed at supporting and developing cooperation between the center and the government in the areas of migration governance, policy development and studies to address the migration crisis in Libya.

2017 Memorandum of understanding with Italy

Date Adopted / Created / Concluded

The MOU between Italy and Libya includes cooperation in combating irregular migration, human trafficking and migrant smuggling, and on reinforcing border security between the two countries. Libya and Italy also agreed to set up a joint operations centre to identify migrant smugglers and human traffickers, facilitating cooperation between the coastguards, the Department of Combatting Illegal Migration, the Libyan Attorney General, and intelligence services from both countries.

2016 Memorandum of understanding with Italy on addressing irregular migration

Date Adopted / Created / Concluded

The 2016 MOU between Italy and Libya aims to conduct a training programme for the Libyan coast guard and navy to better secure Libyan waters, and to enhance their law enforcement capacity in tackling human trafficking and migrant smuggling and preventing deaths at sea. This agreement was renewed in 2019.