The European Union (EU) has signed off on the creation of a Maritime Rescue Coordination Centre (MRCC) in the eastern Libyan city of Benghazi as part of efforts to curb irregular migration along one of Europe’s busiest migration routes.
The decision was announced Thursday by the EU Ambassador to Libya, Nicola Orlando, who said that procedures to set up the centre under the EU naval mission, Operation IRINI, have been completed with funding from Italy and Malta.
“We have finalized the procedures for establishing a Maritime Rescue Coordination Centre in Benghazi under Operation IRINI, with funding from Italy and Malta,” Orlando said in a post on X.
The announcement came after a meeting in Rome between Rear Admiral Marco Casapieri, Commander of Operation IRINI, Malta’s Ambassador to Italy Daniel Azzopardi and General Khairy Tamimi, Secretary-General of the Command of the Libyan Arab Armed Forces.
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Libya has been a major transit point for migrants trying the perilous Mediterranean crossing to Europe since the 2011 NATO-backed uprising that toppled former leader Muammar Gaddafi.
For some time now, the European Union and member states have supported and trained the Libyan coastguard to intercept migrant boats. The bloc formally recognises only the Tripoli-based government, but has increased engagement with authorities in eastern Libya after a surge in migrant departures from areas controlled by military commander Khalifa Haftar.
The proposed Benghazi rescue centre has drawn criticism from human rights organisations, which say that bolstering Libya’s maritime capabilities could lead to more migrant boats being intercepted and those on board being sent back to Libya, where the United Nations and rights groups have repeatedly documented abuses against migrants and refugees.
EU officials say working with Libyan authorities is vital to improve maritime safety, stamp out human smuggling networks and reduce deaths at sea.