UN migration chief visits Libya amid migrant crisis
The head of the International Organization for Migration arrived in Libya on December 16th for a high-level visit aimed at addressing mounting concerns over migration risks along the Central Mediterranean route, reported the International Organization for Migration (IOM).
IOM Director General Amy Pope is visiting Libya from December 16th to 19th as part of the agency’s continued engagement with Libyan authorities, civil society actors, and global partners on the country’s complex migration challenges.
Thousands of migrants attempting the voyage to Europe from Libya die each year. Consistent reports of the horrific conditions at migrant detention centres in Libya continue to surface.
During the visit, Pope held meetings with national and local counterparts to advance coordinated efforts focused on preventing deaths at sea, countering human trafficking, and expanding access to safe and voluntary humanitarian return options. Discussions have been centred on practical cooperation to reduce risks faced by people on the move and to improve protection for vulnerable populations.
In July 2025 the Organized Crime and Corruption Reporting Project (OCCRP) reported that 104 migrants were discovered in airless underground cells on a farm in Ajdabiya. The same raid resulted in the arrest of five suspected human traffickers by Libyan authorities. Earlier this year, mass graves were discovered nearby.
The IOM previously reported that there are currently 867,055 migrants in Libya, up from 725,304 instances the previous year. According to the IOM’s Displacement Tracking Matrix, 53% of migrants live in western Libya, followed by 35% in the east and 12% in the south.
Both the eastern and western governments in Libya have started to enforce migrant return programs. “Every life lost on this route is a tragedy – and one we can prevent,” Pope said, emphasising the need for collective action. “People on the move deserve protection, dignity and hope, not danger. Saving lives requires shared responsibility and real cooperation.”
The visit also highlights IOM’s long-standing role in Libya, where the organisation has worked for years to support migrants and host communities, protect those most at risk, and promote migration systems that are humane and well-managed.
A conference organised by the IOM in early December 2025 led to the agreement of a plan for the voluntary return of hundreds of thousands of Sudanese asylum seekers in close collaboration with Libyan and Sudanese authorities.
The visit is intended to provide firsthand insight into the realities migrants face and the pressures experienced by local communities, while reaffirming commitments to safe, orderly migration pathways.
IOM, OCCRP, Statista, Maghrebi.org
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