Libya's increasingly xenophobic and securitised environment

Migration across the Mediterranean is on the rise. Over the last seven months, 89,158 undocumented migrants have made their way to Italy, 33.7% of them coming from Libya. Anti-immigrant sentiment in Tunisia and political turmoil in sub-Saharan countries, particularly Sudan, have led to an uptick of migratory influx into Libya.

In August, the GNU announced it reached an agreement with Tunis to streamline border control procedures to stem irregular border crossings around Ras Jedir - a deal welcomed by Italy’s foreign minister. Whether it is in western or eastern Libya, authorities have strictly rejected any resettlement scheme of migrants in the country, underscoring an atmosphere deeply unwelcoming of immigrants and concerns regarding migration’s impact on security and livelihoods.