Alwaght-Libya is accusing the EU of failing to fulfill pledges to help Libya fight migrant smuggling to Europe.
Speaking on Tuesday during an interview with German’s Bild newspaper, UN-backed Libyan Prime Minister Fayez al-Sarraj said, “Unfortunately Europe did not help us but made just empty promises.”
He was referring to EU offers of aid to build up a Libyan coast guard to combat growing waves of African and West Asia migrants seeking to use the country’s coast to cross over to Europe. “We need urgently more professional help in order to protect and control the coast,” Sarraj was quoted as saying. “Furthermore, the international community must do more to help stabilize the country.” If Libya does not receive more aid soon, he warned, there will be more smugglers sending more migrants on the dangerous sea voyage to Europe.
The political and security situation in Libya remains unstable and the movement of migrants from Libya to the Mediterranean continues largely unhindered. The slightly rising trend in arrivals to Italy continues, with an expected seasonal spike during the summer months as smuggler activity becomes slightly more organized. Western policies in the Middle East (Western Asia) and North Africa have caused the current refugee crisis in the European Union.
The war in Syria has also forced nearly five million Syrians to take refuge in neighboring countries while others are moving in droves to Europe. More than 7.2 million others have been displaced internally, according to UN figures.
Syria blames western countries led by the US and their regional allies including the Israeli regime, Saudi Arabia, Qatar and Turkey for being the main backers of terrorists fighting to topple the country’s legitimate government.
US-led NATO interference in Libya at the height of the country’s Islamic awakening movement which ousted the country’s long-term dictator Muamar Gaddafi has also been a major source of destabilization on the country which is now the major conduit of illegal migrants crossing the Mediterranean to Europe.
