Tripoli, 20th November 2023 – In a significant stride towards fostering international cooperation and bolstering effective labour migration governance, the International Organization for Migration (IOM), in collaboration with the Labour Minister of Libya, convened a pivotal roundtable meeting on 15th November 2023. The gathering brought together key representatives from various countries to deliberate on mechanisms for enhanced labour migration cooperation in Libya. 

Diplomatic envoys from Benin, Burkina Faso, Bangladesh, Egypt, Ghana, Guinea Conakry, Mali, Niger, Nigeria, Sudan, Senegal, Pakistan, Philippines, Tunisia and the Ambassadors of Italy and the European Union, participated in the meeting held in Tripoli. 

"This roundtable meeting is an important step towards strengthening dialogue and paving the way towards the establishment of a framework of international cooperation on Labour Migration Governance between Libyan counterparts and countries of origin,” said Tauhid Pasha, IOM Libya’s ad interim Chief of Mission. “As we know, the vast majority of the 706,602 migrants in Libya are part of the Libyan labour market. This meeting is aligned with IOM’s broader strategy to improve the safety and security of migrant workers who contribute to Libya’s economy." - 

With support from the Italian Migration Fund, in close synergy with programmes supported by the Delegation of the European Union to Libya, this initiative aimed to strengthen collaboration between the Libyan Ministry of Labour and Diplomatic Representations of the migrants’ countries of origin in Libya. The primary objective was to develop a robust legal framework facilitating international cooperation on labour mobility and strengthening legal pathways.

The Italian and European Union Ambassadors underscored the importance of effective multilateralism and regular pathways on labour migration. In their speeches, they acknowledged that labour migration management is a long-term solution to a shared challenge, necessitating a holistic approach that integrates the security dimension with economic and development opportunities, placing human rights at the forefront. 

The Labour Minister of Libya highlighted the need for a concrete roadmap to guide the process towards more bilateral and multilateral cooperation between countries of origin and the State of Libya.

This initiative not only leads the way to a collaborative effort to strengthen labour migration governance efforts in Libya but also underscores the commitment of international partners to foster a legal and secure environment for migrant workers. As part of its comprehensive approach, IOM is working closely with the Government of Libya, providing technical and policy support on various migration management initiatives. In the realm of labour migration programming, IOM contributes to capacity-building by offering evidence-based policy and technical advice, supporting the development of strategies, legislation, and administrative structures that promote efficient, effective, and transparent labour migration flows. 

For more information, please reach out to IOM Libya: 

Chalank YAHYA at cyahya@iom.int 

Giacomo TERENZI at gterenzi@iom.int