Libya - IOM Libya’s Displaced Tracking Matrix (DTM) has released its first Migrant Flow Monitoring Report conducted in July and August. The report provides greater insight into the diversity of migrant backgrounds and intentions in Libya.

The report aims to collect and update information on the movement of migrants in Libya to provide an accurate and timely overview of migration flows in the country. It particularly focuses on routes used by migrants, locations where migrant flows are most significant, and specific vulnerabilities experienced by migrants, in addition to other demographic and social indicators.

“The introduction of the Flow Monitoring module addresses a major information gap in Libya,” said DTM project manager Daniel Salmon. “It highlights the experiences and a challenge faced by one of the most vulnerable population groups in the country and helps the international community to understand how to better address them.”

Flow Monitoring aims to develop migration profiles comprising migration drivers and migratory trends in the country that tie into broader regional mobility patterns. It also helps to tailor the international community’s humanitarian response towards the most vulnerable migrants by providing accurate and timely data on migrant locations, social indicators and vulnerabilities.

In the report, 1,213 migrants were recorded as crossing through monitoring points in six areas in Libya: Al Jaghbub, Bani Waled, Sabha, Sabratah, Tripoli and Zuwara during the reporting period. The primary nationalities recorded were Nigerien, Egyptian and Nigerian, and the main country of intended destination was Libya.

IOM field enumerators conducted interviews with 453 migrants at the same time, obtaining more qualitative data on the demographic profiles, duration and cost of journey, and migration routes of interviewees.

Some 62 percent of respondents were from countries directly bordering Libya, mostly Niger and Egypt. Another 34 percent were from West African countries, mainly Nigeria, Ghana and Mali. The remaining 4 percent were from other countries in Africa.

Libya was the main destination country for 55 percent of migrants surveyed. The majority cited socio-economic conditions as their main reason for migration. Others reported that they were joining family or relatives. Italy was the country of intended destination for 15 percent of respondents. The remaining 30 percent were intending to head to other European countries.

Some 87 percent of respondents cited economic reasons as their main migratory motive and the main push factor that induced them to leave their country. Only 5 percent cited war or political reasons as their main reason for leaving. Some 85 percent of migrants from West Africa, and 72 percent of migrants from countries bordering Libya were unemployed at their time of departure.

DTM Libya’s statistical baseline assessments will be published on a bi-weekly basis and the migrant survey profiles will be released monthly. These reports complement DTM Libya’s ongoing Mobility Tracking Reports, which provide ongoing updates about the numbers, needs and accommodation types of internally displaced persons (IDPs), returnees and migrants in Libya.

DTM Libya is funded by the European Commission Humanitarian Aid and Civil Protection Department (ECHO) and UK Department for International Development (DFID). For the full report and all Mobility Tracking data packages produced by DTM Libya, please visit http://www.globaldtm.info/libya/

For further information, please contact Daniel Salmon at IOM Libya, Tel: +216.56066656, Email: dsalmon@iom.int