Luxembourg’s foreign minister, Jean Asselborn (front, right), visits an operation near Tripoli to return undocumented migrants from Libya, 5 February 2018 SIP

Luxembourg’s foreign minister, Jean Asselborn (front, right), visits an operation near Tripoli to return undocumented migrants from Libya, 5 February 2018 SIP

On Monday 5 February, Asselborn--who was invited by the Libyan unity government--met with the foreign affairs minister Mohammed Taher Syala. Earlier Asselborn spoke with the UN special representative to Libya, Ghassan Salamé.

In Tripoli, the Luxembourg foreign affairs minister went to the Tarek Al Matar detention centre to get some insight into the living conditions there, which are far from adequate. Asselborn “welcomed the intentions of the Libyan government to lead enquiries into abuses of human rights committed in these centres and to close them as quickly as possible,” according to a press statement.

He also witnessed the return of migrants by plane to Senegal and Cameroon at the local airport. He said that alternatives to detention have to be found, such as voluntary assisted returns.

Asselborn in a Libyan detention centre
Luxembourg government photo

Asselborn said:

“The problem will not be solved as long as the country is not politically stable.”

He reaffirmed Luxembourg’s support in dismantling smuggler groups, through participating in the European initiative EUNAVFOR MED, where Luxembourg supplies half of the surveillance planes used in  Operation Sophia. The country is contributing €1 million to the Refugee Council to help protect migrants and refugees in Libya.