Britain pledges £1m for Libya’s help in stopping illegal migrants coming from Africa as Channel crossings soar
BRITAIN has pledged £1million for Libya’s help in stopping illegal migrants coming from Africa — as small boat crossings continue to climb.
The new deal will support the north African country in bringing people home when they try to get into Europe.
Last year, 150,000 migrants made the dangerous Mediterranean crossing from Libya into Europe.
They included migrants from other African countries such as Eritrea, Sudan and Egypt.
Illegal migration minister Michael Tomlinson said: “Tackling the global migration crisis and smashing the evil gangs who drive it are shared challenges that must be met with a shared response.
"The funding and support we are providing will mean Libya is better equipped to stop people risking lives to reach Europe.”
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He met Libyan PM Abdul Hamid Dbeibeh on a two-day visit which also included a trip to Tunisia.
Britain’s National Crime Agency already operates in Libya to stop the flow of migrants “upstream” by disrupting people-smuggling operations.
The money will go to the International Organisation for Migration, which controls a migrant centre in Tripoli preventing human trafficking.
It came as a further 225 migrants crossed the Channel on Wednesday, bringing the total this year to 3,208.
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Despite promises to curb the numbers, it is higher than the 3,150 this time last year and almost 45 per cent more than the 2,212 in 2022.
The 953 arrivals in the first six days of March also exceeds the total number of people who crossed in the entire month last year.
Labour’s Stephen Kinnock said: “Instead of ignoring what’s happening, the Prime Minister needs to start facing up to the seriousness of this situation and the reality of the chaos unfolding in the Channel.”