The Libyan National Security Council has announced its rejection of “any projects that could potentially affect national security, especially regarding immigration issues.”
In a statement released by the council on Wednesday, it emphasized the need for all foreign organizations operating in Libya to follow Libyan laws and complete the necessary registration procedures.
The council’s statement was in response to an initiative launched by the Italian organizations in Libya, which they said “aims to enhance employment opportunities and better working conditions of full-time and seasonal migrant and local workers in Sabha, Murzuq, Ghat and Wadi Al-Hayaa districts of Fezzan region.”
The two-year project to be implemented by the Italian intergovernmental organization CIHEAM Bari, whose website state the project has €5-million funding from the Directorate General for Italians Abroad and Migration Policies of the Italian Ministry of Foreign Affairs and International Cooperation (MAECI – DGIT) through Italy’s Migration Fund.
The Libyan council welcomed projects aimed at contributing to the development of various local sectors in Libya. However, it strongly warned against projects that “could have detrimental impacts on national security and Libyan social peace, such as immigration and illegal immigration,” declaring its rejection of such projects.
The council urged “all Libyan institutions, ministries, and sectors to unite and prevent projects that could tamper with the capabilities of the Libyan people, harm national security, and jeopardize social peace.”
It also stressed the importance of obtaining the necessary approvals from concerned authorities, particularly the Ministry of Foreign Affairs and International Cooperation, before accepting any invitations to participate in such projects from foreign countries or organizations, either inside or outside Libya.
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