The Commission announced an aid package for Libya and Tunisia on Thursday 2 July, to finance programmes to protect migrants, stabilise local communities and combat Covid-19.
Eighty million euros is new funds from the North Africa Instrument of the Emergency Trust Fund for Africa, and €30 million from reallocated funds.
The major part of the assistance - 60% - is for border management, stabilisation and governance programmes. The rest is assistance to vulnerable people, such as migrants in transit, and support to local communities as well as migrants living in these communities.
Libya. A programme to provide services to migrants and vulnerable groups (health assistance to treat tuberculosis, non-food items, emergency cash assistance and emergency evacuation of migrants from Libya) will receive €30.2 million. Evacuation flights will resume in August. A €20 million programme against Covid-19 will strengthen the immediate response to the virus and the health system in the medium term. Twenty-five million euros is earmarked for a community stabilisation programme.
Why continue to fund the Libyan coastguard while rescued migrants are sent to detention centres in Libya? A senior EU official replied on Tuesday that “2,600 migrants are currently in the 11 detention centres in Tripoli. There were 20,000 two years ago”.
Tunisia. €9.3 million to provide protection services to vulnerable migrants, improve access to health services and continue to support migration governance and the reintegration service for returnees; €5 million for a skills mobility programme.
The Emergency Trust Fund is financing a total of 39 programmes in North Africa to the tune of €888 million. Libya is the main beneficiary with €455 million. The aid to combat the coronavirus and its impact is €1.7 million for the region. (Original version in French by Aminata Niang)