On 20 June, Medecins Sans Frontieres (MSF) published a report entitled 'Out of Libya: Opening safe pathways for migrants stuck in Libya'. MSF, who have been running migration projects in Libya since 2016, have concluded that many migrants and refugees can only achieve safety and security by leaving Libya as there are no safe options within the country. MSF have documented at least 600,000 migrants inside the country who enter Libya irregularly and are at risk of being put in official and non-official detention centres where they will face violence and abuse, a legal regime MSF says is a legacy of the Gaddafi era. The report documented the existing legal pathways for leaving Libya and the challenges migrants and refugees face. MSF assessed that many of the challenges are due to 'third countries' unwillingness and UN agencies' inability to abide with their protection mandates and obligations'. MSF recommended that 'third countries of asylum' should increase options for safe and legal pathways for those trapped in Libya to leave, while existing pathways should be expanded through a UNHCR process. They also recommended that Libyan authorities should facilitate various evacuation flights from Libya, sign and ratify the 1951 Geneva Convention relating to the Status of Refugees, and formally recognise the UNHCR and allow it to exercise its mandate in Libya.
Click here to read the full report.