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Italy Reaches Agreement with Libya Aimed at Curbing Migration

Would-be African migrants from Libya waiting to disembark on Sicily. PHOTO: Giovanni Isolino/AFP

3 April 2017

THE LOCAL (AFP) — The Italian government said on Sunday that dozens of rival tribes in southern Libya had agreed to cooperate on securing the country’s borders in an effort to curb the influx of migrants trying to reach Europe.

Italy’s interior ministry said the 60 tribal leaders — notably the Tuareg of the southwest, the Toubou of the southeast, and the Arab tribe of Awlad Suleiman — had reached the 12-point deal after 72 hours of secret talks in Rome.

A representative from Libya’s UN-backed Government of National Accord, which is based in Tripoli and controls western Libya, was also present.

“A Libyan border patrol unit will be operational to monitor Libya’s southern border of 5,000 kilometres (3,100 miles),” Italian Interior Minister Marco Minniti told Italy’s La Stampa newspaper, one of several Italian media outlets reporting on the deal on Sunday.

“Securing Libya’s southern border means securing Europe’s southern border,” Minniti said. […]

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