The UK has pledged up to £1 million ($1.2 million) to Libya to support it in efforts to return African migrants to their home countries before they make the journey to Europe.
The money will support the protection of migrants in Libya and help to prevent journeys to Europe by tackling the root causes of illegal migration and allowing the voluntary return of migrants to their home countries.
Michael Tomlinson, the British Minister for Countering Illegal Migration, discussed this challenge in talks with Prime Minister Abdul Hamid Dbeibah on a two-day visit.
The trip also included engagements in neighbouring Tunisia, and meetings with representatives from the EU, UN, France, Germany and Malta in Tripoli.
More than 150,000 migrants arrived in Italy by sea last year having crossed the Mediterranean – a record number – with many of them leaving from Libya.
During his visit, Mr Tomlinson met officials from the International Organisation for Migration and observed the co-operation between Libyan law enforcement and the UK’s National Crime Agency against people-smuggling gangs who take migrants towards Europe.
“Tackling the global migration crisis and smashing the evil gangs who drive it are shared challenges that must be met with a shared response," he said.
"The work I have seen first-hand here in Libya and across North Africa is absolutely critical, but we know there is more that must be done.
“The funding and support we are providing will mean Libya is better equipped to stop people risking their lives to reach Europe.
"It also demonstrates our commitment to crack down on people smugglers operating not just in the English Channel, but across the whole world.”
Mr Tomlinson's engagements in Tunisia aim to build relationships with the country, tackle organised criminal gangs and work with international partners to enable voluntary returns.
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Avatar: Fire and Ash
Director: James Cameron
Starring: Sam Worthington, Sigourney Weaver, Zoe Saldana
Rating: 4.5/5
Dust and sand storms compared
Sand storm
- Particle size: Larger, heavier sand grains
- Visibility: Often dramatic with thick "walls" of sand
- Duration: Short-lived, typically localised
- Travel distance: Limited
- Source: Open desert areas with strong winds
Dust storm
- Particle size: Much finer, lightweight particles
- Visibility: Hazy skies but less intense
- Duration: Can linger for days
- Travel distance: Long-range, up to thousands of kilometres
- Source: Can be carried from distant regions
In numbers: PKK’s money network in Europe
Germany: PKK collectors typically bring in $18 million in cash a year – amount has trebled since 2010
Revolutionary tax: Investigators say about $2 million a year raised from ‘tax collection’ around Marseille
Extortion: Gunman convicted in 2023 of demanding $10,000 from Kurdish businessman in Stockholm
Drug trade: PKK income claimed by Turkish anti-drugs force in 2024 to be as high as $500 million a year
Denmark: PKK one of two terrorist groups along with Iranian separatists ASMLA to raise “two-digit million amounts”
Contributions: Hundreds of euros expected from typical Kurdish families and thousands from business owners
TV channel: Kurdish Roj TV accounts frozen and went bankrupt after Denmark fined it more than $1 million over PKK links in 2013
