Keypoints:
- Libya accuses NGOs of changing demographics
- 10 aid groups ordered to shut operations
- Rights groups warn of rising abuse risks
LIBYA has ordered the closure of 10 major humanitarian organisations, accusing them of encouraging African migrants to settle in the country and threatening its demographic balance. The move has drawn sharp concern from international observers and humanitarian agencies, who warn it will worsen conditions for migrants and asylum-seekers already facing dire circumstances.
Among the groups targeted are Médecins Sans Frontières (Doctors Without Borders), the UN refugee agency (UNHCR), and the Norwegian Refugee Council. Authorities allege these organisations have been complicit in encouraging irregular migration by providing food, clothing, and medical aid to migrants—acts that officials claim have led migrants to view Libya as a destination, rather than a transit point.
A government spokesperson described the alleged strategy as a ‘hostile act’ designed to change the ethnic composition of Libyan society.
Migrants trapped in a brutal system
Libya has long served as a key gateway for sub-Saharan African migrants attempting to reach Europe. However, it has also gained a reputation for human rights violations against migrants. Abuse in detention centres, violent trafficking networks, and systematic racism are all well-documented realities.
Since the 2011 fall of Muammar Gaddafi, Libya has struggled with division and lawlessness, with rival administrations controlling different regions and armed militias wielding significant influence. In this volatile context, migrants and refugees have become frequent targets for extortion, abuse, and exploitation.
Despite claims that humanitarian groups are enabling settlement, many African migrants report they are desperate to leave. Many have spoken of being enslaved, raped, or beaten in detention. Others recount being verbally and physically abused simply for being black.
‘He used to call me a disgusting black. He raped me and said: “This is what women were made for”,’ said a Sudanese woman trafficked while seeking safety. Another migrant shared: ‘Even children insult us for being black. Are they not Africans too?’
Humanitarian fallout looms
Médecins Sans Frontières had already suspended operations in Libya, citing harassment and staff interrogations beginning in March. The organisation expressed deep concern about the shutdown, warning it would severely affect access to healthcare for vulnerable populations and put humanitarian workers at greater risk.
UNHCR has reiterated that the individuals it supports are not mere migrants but refugees and asylum-seekers fleeing crisis. The agency said it operates with government consent and has provided critical support inside Libya for more than 30 years.
The expulsion order, issued by Libya’s Tripoli-based government, raises immediate questions about the future of humanitarian operations in the country and the fate of thousands who rely on them.
Rising anti-Black sentiment
The rhetoric used by Libyan authorities echoes a similar narrative seen in Tunisia in 2023, when officials warned against ‘African settlement’—a move widely condemned as racist and inflammatory.
Rights advocates fear this renewed language and policy shift may further normalise xenophobia and endanger migrants, many of whom are already caught in a cycle of violence, detention, and neglect.
Accusations against the aid groups suggest that by providing basic support—food, clothing, and shelter—they are encouraging Africans to stay. Yet countless testimonies from the ground indicate the opposite: that most migrants would leave if they could, but remain trapped by border policies, traffickers, and a lack of safe alternatives.
A dangerous turning point
While the Libyan government maintains that its actions are aimed at protecting national sovereignty, critics warn the country is crossing a dangerous line—where humanitarian assistance is treated as a threat, and vulnerable people are framed as invaders.
If enforced, the shutdown could severely limit aid access, leaving thousands in limbo without basic medical care, legal aid, or protection.
As Libya continues to grapple with instability, the targeting of aid organisations may mark a new and troubling phase in its migration policy—one where humanitarian principles are sacrificed at the altar of political expediency.
