EU to Set Up Maritime Rescue Centre in Eastern Libya

On Thursday, EU Ambassador to Libya Nicola Orlando announced the establishment of a maritime rescue centre in Eastern Libya, a decision made following the completion of procedures under the EU naval mission, Operation IRINI, with funding from Italy and Malta. This announcement came after a meeting in Rome that included Operation IRINI Commander Rear Admiral Marco Casapieri, Malta’s Ambassador to Italy Daniel Azzopardi, and General Khairy Tamimi, Secretary-General of the Command of the Libyan Arab Armed Forces.

Libya has been a significant transit point for migrants attempting to cross the Mediterranean since the 2011 NATO-backed uprising that ousted Muammar Gaddafi. The EU has supported the Libyan coastguard in intercepting migrant boats, despite only formally recognizing the Tripoli-based government.

The proposed rescue centre in Benghazi has drawn criticism from human rights organizations, which argue that enhancing Libya’s maritime capabilities could lead to more interceptions and returns of migrants to Libya, where abuses against them have been documented by the UN and rights groups. EU officials assert that cooperation with Libyan authorities is crucial for improving maritime safety and combating human smuggling networks.