The Mediterranean remains a perilous route for a swelling number of migrants and asylum seekers trying to reach Europe, Security Council members said today, as they discussed the situation in the high seas off Libya ahead of a decision to renew resolution 2240 (2015), which authorizes States and regional groups to inspect and seize vessels in that area suspected of being used for migrant smuggling or human trafficking.
Ruven Menikdiwela, Director of the New York Office of the United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees (UNHCR), said that while nearly 50,000 refugees and asylum seekers are registered with the refugee agency in Libya, it is not authorized to access the disembarkation points. As such, many detained refugees are escorted to border areas and expelled to neighbouring countries, mainly Egypt, without procedural safeguards. “Libya is not a place of safety for the purposes of disembarkation, following rescue at sea,” she stressed, underscoring that any cooperation or assistance provided to Tripoli should uphold the human rights of refugees and migrants.
Pär Liljert, Director of the International Organization for Migration (IOM) Office to the United Nations, reporting that 2,093 deaths were recorded along the central Mediterranean route between January and September, expressed concern over the rise of discrimination and xenophobia directed at migrants and refugees. Noting that more and more people may embark on perilous journeys due to conflict, disasters and environmental degradation, he urged all States to ensure the dignity of those within their borders through a human rights-based approach that prioritizes lives.
In the ensuing debate, several Council members expressed concerns about abuses of migrants and refugees in Libya. Some called for a more holistic approach to tackle the drivers of irregular migration and prioritizing assistance, underscoring the importance of Libya’s stabilization to strengthen, while others spotlighted the rescue efforts of the European Union’s Naval Force Mediterranean Operation IRINI.
The Russian Federation’s representative said that his delegation requested the meeting following the information that 3,111 people died in the Mediterranean, while trying to reach Europe. Tragedies such as the one on 14 June off the coast of Greece, in which 78 people died, demonstrate that the mechanism provided for in resolution 2240 (2015) is not functioning or is ineffective, he added. He questioned whether his European colleagues support investigations into the failure of European border services to aid migrants in distress, and what measures are being undertaken within the Operation IRINI framework.
Mozambique’s representative, also speaking for Ghana and Gabon, said that more must be done to address conflict, terrorism, poverty and climate change — factors that have led to the “worrisome scenario” being seen today. Strongly condemning the arbitrary detention of asylum seekers and refugees in Libya, he called on the national authorities to ensure that migrants are protected from human rights violations. The stabilization of Libya would allow to strengthen control over its territory and reduce the Mediterranean migrant crisis, he said.
Malta’s representative, emphasizing that the Mediterranean remains a perilous migratory route, said that resolution 2240 (2015) and its renewals reaffirm the Council’s determination to combat the smuggling of migrants and trafficking of persons off the Libyan coast. Reiterating Malta’s commitment to save lives and respond to displacement crises, she said that the Council should address the root causes of irregular migration and forced displacement through a comprehensive and integrated approach.
France’s representative said that establishing a Libyan State is the only way to end trafficking. He called for more intensive cooperation among States to prevent dramas such as the ones unfolding in the Mediterranean. Council members must help counter insecurity, he added, noting that the Wagner Group’s presence in the Sahel fuels terrorism and leads to displacement.
MAINTENANCE OF INTERNATIONAL PEACE AND SECURITY
Briefings
RUVEN MENIKDIWELA, Director of the New York Office of the United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees (UNHCR), reported that between January and August, more than 102,000 refugees and migrants attempted to cross the central Mediterranean from Tunisia to Europe, up 260 per cent compared to 2022. More than 45,000 made the same journey from Libya. Some 31,000 people were rescued at sea or intercepted and disembarked in Tunisia and another 10,600 in Libya. Departures from Algeria remain limited with almost 4,700 arrivals in Spain until August, an increase of 18 per cent compared to 2022. In total, 186,000 people arrived from January to 24 September by sea in Italy, Greece, Spain, Cyprus and Malta, with more than 130,000 people arriving in Italy. This constitutes an increase of 83 per cent compared to the same period in 2022. Moreover, as of September 24, more than 2,500 people were accounted as dead or missing, a two-thirds increase from the same period in 2022. “Lives are also lost on land, away from public attention,” she said, adding that the journey across Africa to coastal points of departure remains one of the world’s most dangerous. High departure rates in Tunisia result from the perception of insecurity among refugee communities, following incidents of racially-motivated attacks and hate speech, as well as collective expulsions from Libya and Algeria, she said.
In Libya, nearly 50,000 refugees and asylum seekers are registered with UNHCR, she continued, noting that the refugee agency is not authorized to access the disembarkation points controlled by entities involved in interception and rescue at sea. Many detained refugees are escorted from Libya to border areas and expelled to neighbouring countries, mainly Egypt, without procedural safeguards. “Libya is not a place of safety for the purposes of disembarkation, following rescue at sea.” Turning to the simultaneous arrival of large numbers of people on Lampedusa, and noting its limited reception capacities, she said that UNHCR supports the authorities in “decongesting” the island. “Italy cannot be left on its own in responding to the needs of the arrivals,” she said, calling for a regional disembarkation and redistribution mechanism for people who arrive by sea. The challenges of mixed movements of refugees and migrants require a “panoramic” view of population movements, stressing the need for establishing proper, legal, substantive migration pathways, she said.
She went on to set out several urgent recommendations, including human rights safeguards, increased search and rescue at sea, the prosecution of smugglers and traffickers, and resettlement and complementary pathways. Elaborating, she said that any cooperation or assistance provided to Libya or Tunisia should uphold the human rights of refugees and migrants. All States around the Mediterranean must urgently step up search and rescue efforts and implement effective and predictable disembarkation mechanisms. States must also cooperate on a route-based approach to investigate and prosecute smugglers. Finally, UNHCR urges all States to invest more in development and inclusion in countries of asylum and transit, as well as to remove barriers to family reunification and to expand resettlement quotas for refugees from Libya and other countries in North Africa, she said.
PÄR LILJERT, Director of the International Organization for Migration (IOM) Office to the United Nations, citing recent IOM data, said that between January and September, more than 187,000 people crossed the Mediterranean “in pursuit of a better future and the promise of safety”. Tragically, during the same period, IOM recorded 2,093 deaths along the central Mediterranean route. “While significant attention is dedicated to deaths at sea, the stories shared by migrants suggest that several tragedies may be going unnoticed, especially during the crossing of the Sahara Desert.” Although the central Mediterranean is “the most dangerous” route, Greece has seen a 300 per cent increase in arrivals this year, while entries into Italy have numbered 130,000 compared to 70,000 in 2022.
The impact of the conflict in Sudan is visible in the demography of those who arrive in Europe via the central Mediterranean route, he said. In August, 1,294 Sudanese transited through Tunisia, while crossings from Libya into Tunisia also increased. Expressing concern that discrimination and xenophobia directed at migrants and refugees are on the rise, he urged all States to ensure the dignity of those within their borders through a human rights-based approach that prioritizes lives. He added that IOM is also concerned about refugees and migrants who are intercepted at sea and sent back to face appalling conditions and abuse in detention centres. There were 10,992 such cases as of mid-September, he said.
“As the world is experiencing higher rates of conflict, disasters and environmental degradation than at any time in the past three decades, compounded by glaring inequalities and increased poverty, we can expect more and more people to embark on perilous journeys,” he said. In this context, IOM recommends that the international community find ways to foster regular migration; enhance regular pathways for migrants who do not qualify for refugee status; ensure that the rights of those in irregular situations are respected; support national and regional efforts to prevent and resolve forced displacements; and increase search and rescue operations and capabilities. “We must recognize that solutions to irregular migration cannot solely rely on preventing departures, but also on ensuring that we are effectively addressing the various drivers of migration in countries of origin, transit and, oftentimes, in countries of initial destination,” he added.
Statements
VASSILY A. NEBENZIA (Russian Federation) noted that he requested today’s meeting after reading the latest Secretary-General’s report on the implementation of resolution 2652 (2022) (document S/2023/640), which showed that 3,111 people died in the Mediterranean while trying to reach Europe, an increase of 77 per cent from 2022: “This is a very sordid picture.” Tragedies such as the one on 14 June off the coast of Greece, in which 78 people died, demonstrate that the mechanism provided for in resolution 2240 (2015) is not functioning or is ineffective, he said, adding: “Why is this resolution needed if the European Union is unable to properly carry out the functions placed on it on its own request?” Recalling a remark by the High Representative of the European Union for Foreign Affairs and Security Policy that everything must be done to protect “a blossoming garden from guests from the jungle,” he questioned whether his European colleagues support investigations into the failure of European border services to aid migrants in distress, and what measures are being undertaken within the Operation IRINI framework. The rights of refugees, internally displaced persons and stateless persons must be protected, he said, adding that the European Union does not extend the solidarity it shows to Ukrainian migrants to those migrating from North Africa and the Middle East.....
https://press.un.org/en/2023/sc15427.doc.htm
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