The issue of detention centres for migrants in Libya was raised during the recent talks between an EU delegation and the internationally recognized government in Tripoli according to both sides.
As previously reported, the visit to Libya was overshadowed by an incident in the eastern part of the country. The delegation had arrived to Benghazi airport to discuss a sudden increase in irregular migration to Europe but was unable to conduct the talks in a manner required by the Commission’s diplomatic protocol and was expelled from the airport.
In Tripoli, the mission went as planned. The EU delegation held discussions with the Libyan Prime Minister and other ministers in the Government of National Unity (GNU) and reaffirmed a joint commitment to combat migrant smuggling.
The detention centres have been a matter of serious concern in the past. Migrants intercepted or rescued at sea by the EU-trained and funded Libyan Coast Gard are returned to Libya, where they were imprisoned in detention centres under appalling conditions. In 2019, the Tajoura detention centre in Tripoli was hit by an attack which resulted in the death of more than 50 migrants.
It prompted EU, UN and international organisations to demand the closing down of all detention centres in Libya. Since then, the situation seems to have improved in this regard. A report from February 2025 by the UN International Organization for Migration (IOM) does not mention any detention centres in Libya. IOM did not reply to a request for comment.
According to the report, migrants reported encountering various difficulties, such as financial problems, attacks or assaults, food or water shortages, lack of identity documentation, and insufficient information. The majority of respondents in a survey (71%) live in rented accommodation without a legal contract. About 85 % of the migrants are from Sudan, Niger, Egypt, Chad and Nigeria.
“The primary focus from our European partners centered on managing the increasing flow of irregular migration and their external consequences,” Walid Ellafi, the GNU Minister for Communication and Political Affairs, told The Brussels Times, “but the issue of detention and reception centers in Libya was also part of our discussions.”
“We believe that improving conditions within the centers and addressing root causes go hand in hand, and we are working to ensure this balance is reflected in future cooperation,” he said.
“Since last year, the Government of National Unity has adopted a more structured, state-led approach to migration. The Ministry of Interior’s new plan — part of a broader state consolidation project — places significant emphasis on upgrading the standards and oversight of migrant centers, some of which have long operated outside the government’s full control due to institutional fragmentation.”
Asked if all detention centres have been closed, a Commission spokesperson replied that the EU acknowledges that the situation in Libya remains complex.
“The EU believes that engagement with the Libyan authorities and implementing partners is needed to improve the situation on the ground. The EU has been actively raising the issue of the detention centers with the Libyan authorities, who are aware of the challenges and declaredly willing to work with the EU, the UN and other international partners to improve conditions of migrants in detention.”
“In our engagement at technical level we have directly contributed to enhancing meaningful and predictable access of UN agencies to disembarkation points and detention centres, as well as to the lifting of the exit visa fees.,” the spokesperson added.
“This latter step is facilitating UN-supported voluntary humanitarian returns from the country. Furthermore, the number of migrants in detention has decreased and alternatives to detention are being provided for families and children.”
It is difficult to assess the size of the problem but it appears that detention centres still exist. Centres outside government control are of particular concern, as they operate outside Libyan law and are managed by smuggling rings and criminal networks.
As for the government-run detention centres, the conditions in these facilities are reported to be challenging and concerning. Recently, the Government of National Unity has emptied almost all of the detention centres. A number of women and children were released and have received assistance in the community.
