Libya, UN refugee agency discuss illegal migration, border control

TRIPOLI - Vice President of the Presidency Council of Libya, Musa al-Koni, met with Jean-Paul Cavalieri, chief of mission in Libya of the United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees (UNHCR) here on Wednesday to discuss illegal migration, border control, among others.

"The Vice President of the Presidency Council confirmed that illegal migration is mainly a humanitarian issue. He stressed the importance of uniting international efforts to come up with successful solutions to it," said a statement issued by the Presidency Council.

Al-Koni also stressed the importance of addressing illegal migration in libya's southern border rather than at sea where illegal migrants cross towards Europe, according to the statement.

Cavalieri said that there are problems facing the evacuation of migrants from Libya to other countries, including failures to organize flights.

Cavalieri also stressed the need to cooperate with the Presidency Council to address illegal migration.

Libya has been suffering insecurity and chaos since the fall of Muammar Gaddafi in 2011, making the North African country a preferred point for illegal migrants to cross the Mediterranean Sea to European shores.

So far, 24,420 illegal migrants have been rescued, while hundreds others died and went missing off the Libyan coast on the Central Mediterranean route, according to the International Organization for Migration.