Mogherini: Libya’s crisis is on the way for solution

BY Libyan Express May 01, 2018 - 15:12

The European Union’s top diplomat, Federica Mogherini, on Monday said the situation in Libya is improving, citing recent calls for elections and an increase in migrants voluntarily returning to their home countries.

Mogherini, who is attending a quartet meeting in Cairo which includes UN Special Representative for Libya Ghassan Salame, High Representative of the African Union for Mali and the Sahel, Pierre Buyoya and Arab League chief Ahmed Aboul Gheit, said that more than 16,000 migrants have returned voluntarily to their home countries after being held in detention centers in Libya.

“Definitely in the last seven months, we have seen progress on the ground. Still fragile progress, still limited progress, but the trend compared to the past I believe is rather encouraging and needs to be further supported. I believe this is partially due to the fact that we managed to overcome possible divisions of our organizations and we coordinated different strengths of work”, Mogherini said.

Mogherini also said, the EU is committed to addressing the situation of African citizens detained in Libya.

“We committed ourselves to work together, to address the dramatic situation of African citizens detained, in the detention centers in Libya. In only two months we managed to have assisted voluntary returns meaning saving, and having safe returns voluntary, for more than 16,000 people, which is something that is quite remarkable, more than what was done in all previous years”, she added.

During the meeting, the Arab League re-iterated calls for elections to be held before the end of the year in Libya.

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