The UK government has said it is stepping up efforts to deal with threats posed to the UK from Libya, as the Foreign Secretary makes his second visit to the country in less than 6 months.
The Foreign Secretary has been in Tripoli today where he met with the Libyan Prime Minister, Fayyez Al-Serraj, to discuss what more the UK can do to support the Government of National Accord and the UN-led political process to help stabilise Libya.
The Foreign Secretary also outlined a package of additional support to help Libya deal with the terrorist threat and to tackle illegal migration. This includes:
- £3 million to remove improvised explosive devices from Sirte, following the success in pushing Daesh out of the city earlier this year
- £1 million to fund demining training across Libya, including in Sirte and Benghazi
- £1 million to help rebuild critical infrastructure and restore basic public services through the United Nations Development Programme (UNDP). The UK has already contributed £1.5 million to the UNDP since 2016
- £2.75 million to support women’s participation in peacemaking and rebuilding Libya
- £1.29 million of new UK aid funding over the next 2 years to support displaced people with food, essential hygiene items and urgent healthcare needs
The government has also agreed to increase its engagement with the Libyan law enforcement authorities to tackle organised crime and trafficking, building on the work the UK is already doing with European partners to strengthen the ability of the Libyan Coastguard to secure its own borders in a manner which respects international law.
