The government of Libya advised U.N.’s refugee agency to stop activities and close its office in Libya, the United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees (UNHCR) revealed Tuesday. No reason was provided. Melissa Fleming, chief spokesperson for UNHCR made the announcement at a press briefing in Geneva.
The Libyan government invited UNHCR in 1991, and the agency had worked there until now. The UNHCR hopes the closure will be temporary, as there is a lot of work to be done in Libya “to protect, assist and find durable solutions for the refugees there,” Fleming said.
“This will leave a huge vacuum for the thousands of refugees and asylum-seekers who are there already, and, of course, those who continue to arrive steadily on boats every week,” she said.
The 26 people working for UNHCR in Libya registered would-be refugees, determined the status of refugees in the absence of a national asylum system, and provided humanitarian assistance to detainees in detention facilities. Around 10,000 refugees and asylum-seekers, mostly Palestinian, Iraqi, and Eritrean, are currently in Libya.
The Libyan government invited UNHCR in 1991, and the agency had worked there until now. The UNHCR hopes the closure will be temporary, as there is a lot of work to be done in Libya “to protect, assist and find durable solutions for the refugees there,” Fleming said.
“This will leave a huge vacuum for the thousands of refugees and asylum-seekers who are there already, and, of course, those who continue to arrive steadily on boats every week,” she said.
The 26 people working for UNHCR in Libya registered would-be refugees, determined the status of refugees in the absence of a national asylum system, and provided humanitarian assistance to detainees in detention facilities. Around 10,000 refugees and asylum-seekers, mostly Palestinian, Iraqi, and Eritrean, are currently in Libya.
