The African Union (AU) has announced that it has started working together with the International Organization for Migration (IOM) to evacuate thousands of African migrants held in detention centers in Libya.
The AU said it is hoping to evacuate about 15,000 of these migrants before the end of this month.
The deputy chairman of the AU Commission, Kwesi Quartey in a tweet said the evacuation would be voluntary, and done in partnership with its agencies.
The #AfricanUnion, working together with the International Organization for Migration @IOM, will immediately put in place a #Voluntary Humanitarian Evacuation of #Migrants plan for our citizenry in #Libya as follows…: 1/3
[Photo credit] pic.twitter.com/CtFevCRl57
— Kwesi Quartey. (@HEQuarteyKwesi) December 5, 2017
Quartey said that at least 20,000 migrants are being held in government detention centres in Libya.
Member states of the African Union according to Quartey would also be engaged identify their nationals, issue them emergency travel documents, provide flight and landing clearance and finally facilitate their re-integration into society.
1. Implement a scaled-up evacuation process that will repatriate additional 15,000 migrants in #Libya currently in Govt-controlled detention centres before the end of year -there are currently atleast 20,000 migrants in Govt-controlled detention centres;…. 2/3
[Photo credit] pic.twitter.com/OH8VGzxDar
— Kwesi Quartey. (@HEQuarteyKwesi) December 5, 2017
There has been outrage across Africa following revelations of the sale of migrants in Libya in slave markets.
2. Engage Member States whose nationals in #Libya are to be evacuated, with view to:
A. Identifying their nationals;
B. Issuing them emergency travel documents;
C. Providing flight & landing clearance;
D. Facilitating sustainable reintegration back home..3/3[Photo credit] pic.twitter.com/zP5vTcavml
— Kwesi Quartey. (@HEQuarteyKwesi) December 5, 2017
Libya after the overthrow of Col Muammar Gaddafi in 2011 has been controlled by two main factions.
Source: Africafeeds.com
