Represented by diplomats from its delegation in Libya, from the EUNAVFOR MED Sophia operation against human trafficking in the Mediterranean, and from the EU Integrated Border Management Assistance Mission in Libya (EUBAM Libya), the EU reaffirmed its commitment to supporting the Libyan institutions, at a meeting in Tripoli on Wednesday 2 August with the Libyan authorities, represented by the president of the Presidency Council, Fayez Al Serraj, the deputy minister of defence, Colonel Ewhida Abdullah Ewhida, the chief of the Libyan Navy and the chief of the Libyan Coastguard.
The parties assessed the EU's overall support to Libya and the Libyan needs for capacity building for its security institutions, border control and migration management, the European External Action Service stated on Wednesday.
The EUNAVFOR MED Sophia operation, EUBAM and the EU liaison and planning cell supporting the peace and security process in Libya have recently had their mandate renewed until December 2018.
As regards the Sophia operation, the discussions focused on implementation of the mandate and renewed tasks, especially on establishing a follow-up mechanism for ensuring the long-term effectiveness of training the Libyan Coastguard.
This meeting followed the adoption, on 28 July, of a new €46 million programme as part of the EU trust fund for Africa aiming to build the integrated capacities of the Libyan authorities for migration and border management (see EUROPE 11839).
This funding complements the €90 million package adopted in April 2017 focusing on the country's stabilisation and on the protection of displaced people, migrants, refugees and host communities in Libya, the EEAS states. (Original version in French by Emmanuel Hagry)