EU expands migration cooperation with Haftar’s Libya

As the European Union prepares to implement its new Pact on Migration and Asylum, which will become operational on 16 June, Brussels is quietly expanding cooperation with eastern Libyan authorities led by Khalifa Haftar, reinforcing Libya’s central role in Europe’s migration management strategy.

According to an investigation published by Statewatch on 29 May, EU member states have reached an agreement to deepen migration cooperation with authorities linked to Haftar’s eastern forces, despite longstanding concerns over human rights abuses, arbitrary detention, and the absence of democratic accountability in areas under their control. The agreement represents a significant evolution in European migration policy, extending cooperation beyond the internationally recognised authorities in western Libya and further institutionalising Libya’s role as a buffer zone for migration towards Europe.

The development comes only weeks before the new EU Pact on Migration and Asylum enters into force. While European institutions present the pact as a comprehensive framework aimed at improving asylum procedures and burden-sharing among member states, critics argue that its implementation increasingly relies on the externalisation of migration control to third countries such as Libya.

Recent developments suggest that European governments continue to view Libyan authorities as indispensable partners in preventing departures across the central Mediterranean. Cooperation between European actors and Libyan institutions has intensified through financial assistance, training programmes, maritime support, and security coordination mechanisms designed to reduce migrant arrivals in Europe.

At the same time, Libyan authorities have stepped up operations targeting migration networks. On 27 May, Libyan security forces announced new measures against what they described as “illegal migration infrastructure”, including raids on facilities allegedly used to facilitate migrant movements across the country. These operations form part of a broader effort by Libyan authorities to demonstrate their capacity to manage migration flows and strengthen their position as a key security partner for European governments.

The growing cooperation reflects mounting pressure on Libya itself. On 8 May, Libyan officials publicly called for greater international support in dealing with migration flows, arguing that the country is bearing a disproportionate burden as a major transit hub between sub-Saharan Africa and Europe.

Yet the human cost of this strategy remains substantial. Libya continues to be one of the world’s most dangerous migration routes. Migrant deaths remained persistent as Libya continued to serve as the cornerstone of Europe’s migration policy in the central Mediterranean. On 20 April, the recovery of 17 bodies in Libya highlighted the ongoing humanitarian consequences of irregular migration and the dangers faced by migrants attempting to cross the country and reach the Mediterranean coast.

Alongside the humanitarian dimension, domestic tensions surrounding migration are becoming increasingly visible within Libya itself.

According to Libya Herald on 3 June, public sentiment against the settlement, resettlement, or naturalisation of refugees and migrants has been growing across the country. International organisations, particularly UNHCR, have become targets of criticism from some political actors, local authorities, and sections of the public who fear that Libya could become a permanent destination rather than a transit country for migrants.

These concerns reflect broader anxieties linked to economic hardship, political instability, and weak state institutions. In a country still struggling with fragmentation and competing centres of power, migration has become a highly politicised issue, often intertwined with debates over sovereignty, security, and national identity.

For European policymakers, Libya remains central to efforts aimed at reducing irregular arrivals. However, the expansion of cooperation with eastern authorities linked to Haftar illustrates the extent to which migration management has become a geopolitical priority, frequently outweighing concerns about governance and human rights.

As the new Pact on Migration and Asylum enters its implementation phase, Libya’s role appears set to become even more significant. Whether this approach will reduce migration pressures or simply reinforce a system dependent on externalised border control remains one of the key questions facing both European and Libyan policymakers in the months ahead.

Statewatch; Maghrebi.org; Libya Herald