UNSC expands approval of measures against migrant smuggling off Libya’s territorial waters

To combat immigrant smuggling and people trafficking, the United Nations Security Council (UNSC) renewed the authorisation of vessel examination and confiscation off the coastline of Libya on Wednesday. As per the Xinhua website, Resolution 2598 has received unanimous approval from the 15 members of UNSC, reaffirming the mandate for another 12 months from the date of implementation of the earlier resolution 2240 (2015).  

According to the press release published by the United Nations, resolution 2598 (2021) which was adopted underneath the Chapter VII of the United Nations Charter, permits the council's member states to investigate vessels outside of Libya’s territorial waters on the basis of the probable cause to suspect whether these vessels are being used for immigrant trafficking and human smuggling.  

Resolution permits to seize vessels that involves illegal acts

The resolution also enables for the acquisition of boats which will show evidence of the involvement in such illegal operations. Only those activities which involve migrant smuggling and people trafficking entering, across, and out of Libya, as well as off its coast, are criticised by Resolution 2598. According to the resolution, such actions jeopardise Libya's stability process and put the lives of several million people at risk. For the implementation of the resolution which will be done 11 months after its adoption appeals to the UN Secretary-General to notify the Security Council.  

Further, The Security Council will express its intention about the resolution that it will proceed to assess the situation and determine whether the sanctions, which were initially implemented in October 2015, should be renewed.   

Libya remains Africa’s main departure zone for migrants

Meanwhile, according to the UN refugee agency, Africa's major departure gateway to Europe for immigrants seeking safety and opportunities is still Libya. Several million refugees and asylum seekers which comprises small children and women have migrated from Libya in search of safety. They tend to migrate to Libya to escape after suffering terrible violence, oppression, and conflict in their home nations. Those who chose to risk their lives by crossing the Mediterranean risk drowning, either refused entry at ports or being captured at sea and transported back to Libya to be detained in detention facilities. 

Recently on September 14, Libya's Interior Ministry reported that it had captured almost 109 illegal immigrants travelling to Europe in the western city of Zliten, around 160 kilometres east of Tripoli, the capital. As per the ministry, the undocumented immigrants consist of 16 women and two children who are Eritrean and Sudanese in origin. 

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