The European Union, United Nations and African Union have agreed to an emergency plan to dismantle people smuggling networks and repatriate stranded migrants in an effort to ease a human rights disaster in Libya, officials said. It shone a light on abuses committed against African migrants seeking to reach Europe, forcing the issue to the top of the agenda of a summit meant to focus on Africa’s youth. The plan emerged from a meeting of UN officials, EU leaders and government representatives from Chad, Niger, Morocco, Congo and Libya that was called by France on Wednesday. The European Union, African Union and United Nations agreed to asset freezes and financial sanctions on known smugglers. EU countries meanwhile agreed to finance the repatriation of migrants from Libya, a process that is already being organized by the International Organization for Migration, they said.

Source: Egypt Independent November 30, 2017 11:26 UTC