NATIONAL SECURITY ISSUES
- The International Organization for Migration (IOM) has facilitated the voluntary return of 327 migrants from Libya to Nigeria on January 30th. According to a statement released by the IOM today, the migrants, who include 226 females and 101 males, arrived in Lagos on board two voluntary humanitarian return charter flights from Tripoli and Benghazi.
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Libyan authorities on Wednesday began sending 350 irregular migrants to their home country Egypt, an immigration official told AFP. War-torn Libya has become as a key departure point on North Africa’s Mediterranean coast for migrants, mainly from other parts of Africa, risking dangerous sea voyages in the hope of reaching Europe. Libya’s rival administrations last year agreed on a Tripoli-based anti-immigration body tasked with coordinating deportations of foreigners who are in the country illegally.
- The International Organization for Migration (IOM) said that 6 migrants were intercepted off the coast of Libya last week. “From 21 to 27 January 2024, 6 migrants were intercepted and returned to Libya,” IOM said in a statement. So far in 2024, 332 migrants were intercepted and returned to Libya, including 315 men, 8 women and 9 children, according to IOM.
- Aurelio Estrella Río , sole administrator of Star Defense Logistics & Engineering (SDLE) , a company that regularly contracts with the Spanish Ministry of Defense, has been arrested for illegally selling material to the Libyan militia Special Deterrence Force, also known as Rada’a.
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The crew of the Ocean Viking rescue ship operated by SOS Mediterranee picked up 71 migrants off the coast of Libya. “Ocean Viking rescued 71 persons from a severely overcrowded rubber boat taking water in the Libyan search and rescue region,” read a message on the X page (formerly known as Twitter) from the private rescue organization SOS Mediterranee on Monday (January 29).
- A post from a purported hacker group on a dark web forum claims to be selling access and data related to Libya’s election systems for $150,000. The post, from a group calling itself “Daily Dark Web,” states they have obtained voter registration databases, software systems, and network access credentials.
NATIONAL POLITICS AND SOCIAL ISSUES
- UN Special Envoy to Libya, Abdoulaye Bathily, held talks in Benghazi with Speaker of Libya’s House of Representatives, Aguila Saleh, to discuss the political process. Bathily said he “emphasized the need for all leaders to positively engage in the dialogue I have proposed to reach a political settlement to end the stalemate that causes so much suffering to the Libyan people.”
- Deputy Chairman of Libya’s Presidential Council, Musa Al-Koni, discussed, with the German Ambassador to Libya, Michael Ohnmacht, the latest political developments in the country, ways to end the transitional stages, and work with the UN envoy to achieve consensus between the parties participating in the political process.
INTERNATIONAL RELATIONS
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Algerian Foreign Minister Ahmed Attaf and his accompanying delegation arrived Saturday in Tripoli on an official visit to Libya. Attaf will deliver a letter to the President of the Libyan Presidential Council from the Algerian President, Foreign Ministry source told the Libyan News Agency. The Algerian Minister was received by the Acting Foreign Minister of the Government of National Unity (GNU), Al-Taher Al-Baour.
- Egypt’s President Abdel-Fattah El-Sisi and head of Libya’s Presidential Council Mohamed Al-Menfi emphasized the urgency of expelling all foreign forces and mercenaries from Libya. This came during their meeting on Thursday at the Presidential Palace in Cairo, according to a statement by the Egyptian Presidency. They also stressed the importance of continuing to strengthen Libyan institutions to complete the electoral process, meet the aspirations of Libyans, and preserve their resources.
- Libyan Prime Minister Abdul Hamid Dbeibeh held talks with President European Council Charles Michel on the sidelines of the Italy-Africa Summit held in Rome. According to a statement by Dbeibeh’s media office, the two parties discussed “cooperation mechanisms between Libya and Europe in the field of clean energy and ways to combat irregular migration.”
- Libyan Prime Minister Abdul Hamid Dbeibeh is in Rome to take part in the Italy-Africa summit, which aimed at illustrating Italy’s big development plan for the continent. Upon his arrival yesterday, Dbeibeh was received by Italy’s Prime Minister Giorgia Meloni and President Sergio Mattarella.
