Italian Prime Minister Giorgia Meloni criticised a statement by the German NGO Sea-Watch, which labelled the Libyan and Tunisian coast guards as “real human traffickers.” Speaking before the Italian Senate, Meloni called the statement “shameful.”
Meloni praised countries like Tunisia and Egypt for their role in reducing irregular migration flows by 60% by 2024, as reported by Italian media. She stressed the importance of cooperation with these nations in managing migration. NGOs frequently criticise the treatment of migrants in Tunisia and Libya, describing it as “inhumane.” In June, Sea-Watch released a video showing Libyan coast guards beating migrants with batons after they were rescued by a commercial vessel.
Moreover, more than 60% of the migrants who arrived in Italy in 2024 departed from Libya, according to Nova news agency. A total of 33,349 migrants reached Italy from Libya, accounting for 60.1% of the 54,577 total arrivals. In comparison, 17,309 migrants, or 31.7%, arrived from Tunisia.
