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Brussels/Tunis, 20 April 2020 —  As Europe shuts its borders in response to COVID-19, the past few days saw the already dire situation of migrants and refugees in the Mediterranean reach a critical point. 

The closure of Italian and Maltese ports for people rescued at sea dramatically increases the number of prospective returns to Libya, where the hostilities escalate despite the global pleas for a ceasefire. This puts the safety of returned refugees and migrants at  double risk, as they will face the pandemic in a country with a health system under considerable pressure from nearly a decade of conflict and a raging civil war. 

The ̽����ѡ is deeply concerned about these latest developments.  We call on the EU Foreign Ministers and the European Council meeting this week to ensure that the European response to the COVID-19 pandemic safeguards the rights of refugees and migrants in the Mediterranean. We also encourage EU leaders to endorse a new, bold support package for Libya with the primary aim of strengthening the humanitarian response, rather than preventing people from fleeing the country. 

Thomas Garofalo, ̽����ѡ Libya Country Director said:

“Increased fighting in Libya means that people will not stop trying to cross the sea to get out of a country torn by this violent conflict. Moreover, state measures introduced in response to COVID-19 imposing a country-wide curfew might result in further violence. This means that the ability of humanitarian actors to deliver lifesaving assistance in the country will be seriously hampered.

“The ̽����ѡ has repeatedly stated that Libya is not a safe place for any returns. Returned migrants are now exposed to unprecedented risks, with war raging on the one side and the health hazards awaiting on the other. At disembarkation points in Tripoli, where the ̽����ѡ provides people with immediate medical support, we have witnessed the already critical situation imploding over the past few weeks.  Migrants and refugees who land back in Libya are traumatised and exhausted after spending days drifting at sea. Some people die or reportedly go missing on the way. The survivors, including women and girls, are brought straight to detention centres.

“While we acknowledge that extraordinary measures taken by European countries are needed to address the ongoing pandemic, they cannot be used as an excuse to avoid responsibility towards people in desperate need of safety. In the wake of COVID-19, solidarity with the most vulnerable is more crucial than ever before.

“Closing the ports is not the answer. Temporary solutions, such as deploying special ships to screen and quarantine people rescued at sea, can be successfully implemented to protect public health in the countries at the forefront or arrivals, and ensure that no lives are put at risk. But the emergency created by the COVID-19 pandemic resulting in Malta and Italy closing its ports is also a stark reminder that a sustainable and fair disembarkation mechanism in the EU is urgently needed.

“In this context, Malta’s proposal to dedicate € 100 million of EU humanitarian aid for Libya is a much needed step to support the struggling Libyan health system and ensure the Covid response is rapidly scaled up. Libya certainly needs more humanitarian funding: the UN Humanitarian Response Plan is only funded at 6.3% and the health response alone requires €30 million, with only 4.4% of this amount currently allocated. To this end, the European Union should put forward a comprehensive response for Libya and avoid to see it only through the lens of curbing migration flows. The funds should be funneled directly to humanitarian organisations present on the ground, which have gained the trust of communities crucial to deliver vital health interventions. 

“The new aid package for Libya also calls for a solid political solution. The EU needs to step up its diplomatic engagement to push for a lasting ceasefire and secure humanitarian access beyond COVID-19 state restrictions, so that lifesaving support can continue to reach those most in need.”