The Maltese government of Robert Abela has called on the EU for help to avoid a humanitarian tragedy in Libya due to COVID-19 and to find a solution for almost 650,000 people ready to embark on a journey to the EU. In a letter addressed to the High Representative for Foreign Affairs and Security Policy, Josep Borrell, Foreign Minister Evarist Bartolo said that in this context “there are all the ingredients for a major humanitarian disaster”.
The COVID-19 crisis, which came on top of the civil war, “is also leaving its mark in Libya and weakening an already fragile health system. Moreover, humanitarian assistance on the ground continues to decrease”, notes the Minister. “The above is resulting in a situation where over 650,000 people await to leave Libyan shores for Europe as the rate of departures accelerates due to conflict, disease and lack of basic needs”.
The Maltese official therefore calls for the EU to “launch an immediate humanitarian mission in Libya - providing food, medicines and healthcare equipment to Libyans and migrants living there”.
EU humanitarian aid “must be imminent and substantial - today and not tomorrow - and we are proposing an EU package of at least 100 million euros of food, aid, medical supplies and equipment”.
Malta also believes, given its limited resources and the fact that the island has already ‘disembarked’ 4,500 people over the last 12 months, that it is necessary to “boost the empowerment of the Libyan coastguard in enhancing the control of its boarders , as well as concretely ensuring that Libya represents a safe port for the disembarkation of migrants”.
The letter, written on 13 April, follows the closure by Malta, as well as Italy, of its ports to NGO boats that rescued migrants, as the notion of a ‘safe port’ is no longer fulfilled by their ports, according to both countries, due to the outbreak.
Link to the letter: