EU claims New Libyan center will increases support for migrants
The European Union’s support for the Libyan Coast Guard (LCG) is set to deepen with the opening of a new Maritime Rescue Coordination Centre (MRCC) in October. This move comes despite widespread documentation of human rights abuses, including forced labor, sexual violence and extortion, by the LCG and in Libyan detention centers.
New center cements EU-Libya cooperation
The MRCC, first announced in 2017, is part of Libya’s efforts to establish its own Search and Rescue (SAR) area off its shoreline. While Libyan authorities claim this will improve their rescue capabilities, human rights groups fear it will only strengthen a system of abuse and exploitation.
According to Open Democracy,
The Libyan Coast Guard isn’t the only questionable actor to receive legitimacy and funding in the name of stopping migration. But in this area, it has become one of the most powerful. The new rescue centre in Tripoli is likely to only cement that position.
The LCG has a troubling record of not responding to distress calls and failing to coordinate with NGO rescue ships. When they do intervene, migrants are often returned to Libya, where they face persecution and abuse.