The International Organisation for Migration (IOM) has reported the interception and return of more than 160 migrants to Libya.
The migrants, according to IOM Libya Chief of Mission, Federico Soda, were returned to the Libya between 03 and 04 January, 2021.
Soda, however, did not give any details on the location(s).
Development Diaries understands that the Mediterranean Sea is the most preferred route by migrants from Africa, mostly from Libya, who attempt to get into Europe through Italy and Malta.
Thousands of Africans who migrate due to many reasons, including political instability, have died while attempting to make the dangerous crossing.
Soda called on stakeholders to establish predictable disembarkation in a safe port and deploy state-led search and rescue assets to aid such operations to save migrants.
In addition, the IOM official called for restrictions on the work of non-governmental organisations (NGOs) to be lifted given the scale of the work required to deal with the migrant crisis and the importance of the aid such organisations offer.
He also appealed to authorities to help dismantle the detention system in the North African country.
Sub-Saharan Africans also move to Europe as international students.
The number of sub-Saharan Africans displaced within their own country nearly doubled to nine million between 2010 and 2016, according the United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees (UNHCR).
The population of sub-Saharan migrants had been boosted by the influx of nearly one million asylum applicants (970,000) between 2010 and 2017, according to a Pew Research Centre analysis of data from Eurostat.
Source: CGTN Africa
Photo source: Jose Jordan/STR/AFP
