World leaders condemn sale of migrants in Libya

By Felix Nkambeh Tih

ANKARA

World leaders on Thursday condemned slavery of migrants in Libya and called for immediate action against smugglers in the region.

"We need to dismantle the criminal networks through cooperation including judicial and police, as these networks have international reach,'' Moussa Faki Mahamat, chairman of African Union Commission, said at the 5th African Union - European Union summit in Abidjan on Thursday.

The decision by the AU, the UN and the EU taskforce to put in place a task force in Libya to check migrant abuse is a “concrete step in the right direction”, Mahamat said.

On Nov. 14, the CNN aired a video footage showing African migrants being sold as slaves in Libya for as little as $400.

"My special envoy returned from Tripoli yesterday and found migrants mostly from West Africa living in inhumane conditions [and they] all want to return to their homes," Mahamat said.

On Wednesday, Ivorian head of state Alassane Ouattara said the security of the African continent will also depend on the ability to resolve the crisis in Libya and put an end to the “inhuman treatment” of migrants by all means.

"We must also intensify our efforts to dismantle the smuggling and trafficking networks of human beings," he said.

Alpha Conde, Guinean head of state and President of the AU, called on both Europe and Africa to come together and provide more solutions to the migration crisis.

- ‘Libya needs help’

"We vehemently condemn the abominable acts committed in certain countries on the roads to Europe, especially in Libya,” Conde said. He called on the international community to take firm measures to put an end to the crimes.

Donald Tusk, president of the European Council, noted that Europe and Africa must take their responsibilities regarding migration.

"Migration is a joint responsibility. Our common duty is to step up fight against unscrupulous criminals and bring them to justice,” Tusk said. “This also applies to situation in Libya, which needs both European and African help.

"We believe that Libya needs our help not our judgment," he added.

French President Emmanuel Macron had also announced that leaders have agreed on an initiating emergency evacuation operation of migrants in Libya.

"Emergency evacuation operations of migrants, who are victims of human traffickers in Libya, will be carried out "in the coming days or weeks," Macron said.

"Libya has reaffirmed its agreement to allow access to Libyan soil to evacuate camps, where barbarity has been identified,'' he added.

The massive repatriation of migrants from Libya was motivated by the recent reports showing the sale of migrants.