UK Prime Minister Theresa May and Italian Prime Minister Matteo Renzi met in Rome last week to discuss areas of mutual interest.
Following the meeting, Theresa May gave an update on their discussions regarding Libya:
"We have also discussed the situation in Libya where both Italy and the UK are at the forefront of international efforts to support the new government. And it is in all our interests to help Prime Minister Serraj to restore stability and rebuild the economy.
"And that is the best way to prevent Libya becoming a base for Daesh and to tackle the criminal gangs that continue to exploit illegal migrants and traffic innocent men, women and children for profit.
"Ninety per cent of migrants crossing the Central Mediterranean set off from Libya, so both our countries have urged our European partners to do more to stem the flow of illegal migration from there.
"Together we secured agreement to extend the EU’s naval operation to include capacity building of the Libyan coastguard and we hope that training will get underway in September.
"We also agree on the need to do more upstream in the countries where migrants are coming from, particularly in the Horn of Africa and West Africa."
(Source: UK FCO)
