A technical workshop for some 70 senior police officials and
representatives from the Ministry of Justice and the Prime
Minister's office, organized by IOM and the Libyan Ministry of
Interior, took place on 13th and 14th September in Tripoli.

The workshop focused on international migration law,
migrants’ rights and on provisions and best practices in the
fields of assisted voluntary return and reintegration for stranded
migrants. Ambassadors and senior consular personnel from European
and African countries also attended the workshop, which was funded
by Italy and Libya.

IOM continues to provide return and reintegration assistance to
stranded migrants in Libya, which includes pre-departure
counselling, medical screening and cash financial assistance to
help returnees start income generating activities in the country of
origin. To date, 10 stranded migrants from Mali have received IOM
assistance. Another 11 stranded Malians and 10 Indians have also
requested IOM's return assistance.

Libya continues to be a transit country for thousands of
Sub-Saharan African and Asian migrants on their way to Europe in
search of better economic opportunities. Many remain stranded in
Libya, while waiting to raise the necessary funds to pay well
organized smuggling networks for the next leg of their dangerous
journey onboard un-seaworthy vessels to Malta or to the Italian
island of Lampedusa.

Libyan officials providing humanitarian assistance to stranded
undocumented migrants recently completed a mission in Italy,
Austria and Slovakia, to study best practices in the fields of
medical, psychological support and counselling for undocumented
migrants.  

The study tour, organized in the framework of the Transit and
Irregular Migration Management in Libya (TRIM) project and which is
co-funded by the European Commission and Italy, falls within
capacity building activities requested by Libyan authorities to
improve the management of substantial migrations flows to and
through the country.

IOM opened an office in Tripoli in April 2006 following the
signing in August 2005 of an agreement with the Socialist
People’s Libyan Arab Jamahiriya, which provides IOM with the
same privileges and immunities as specified by the 1947 Convention
on Privileges and Immunities of the UN. Libya joined IOM in June
2004.  

For more information, please contact:

Laurence Hart

IOM Tripoli

Tel +218 91 383 25 96

E-mail: "mailto:lhart@ion.int">lhart@ion.int