Al-Shibli calls for a national policy to regulate migration
LIBYA – Fathi Al-Shibli, head of the Voice of the Libyan People Party, has said migration in Libya is no longer simply an issue tied to boats crossing to Europe but has become, in his view, a matter affecting social and economic security and national sovereignty, as the number of migrants and foreign workers, both regular and irregular, continues to grow.
Regulating the labour market and residency
Speaking to Erem News, Al-Shibli said Libya had historically been a destination for Arab and African workers because of its need for labour, arguing that the current problem lies in the absence of a clear national policy that regulates the labour market, determines who is entitled to reside and work in the country, and prevents temporary migration from turning into permanent residence outside the law.
Distinguishing migration and asylum from resettlement
He said any discussion of resettlement needs to distinguish between migration and asylum on the one hand, and any arrangements that could lead to the permanent settlement of large numbers of migrants on the other, arguing that Libya is not responsible for solving Europe’s migration crisis at the expense of its demographic make-up, its resources or its social security.
Legal workers, irregular migrants and smuggling networks
Al-Shibli stressed that migrants cannot all be treated as a single problem, explaining that there is legal labour that contributes to the economy, irregular migrants whose cases require legal and humanitarian handling, and smuggling and human trafficking networks that he described as a real threat.
Border control, a count of residents and the fight against trafficking
He called for avoiding emotive rhetoric against migrants without dismissing Libyans’ concerns, and urged a national policy based on border control, regulation of the labour market, a count of residents, combating human trafficking, and returning those without legal status to their countries in accordance with the law and international agreements.
Al-Shibli concluded that Libya can be a transit country or a country of regulated employment, but in his view it should not become an open space without controls, arguing that deciding who resides on its soil, and how, is a sovereign Libyan decision.
