(Photo: Emilio Morenatti, AP file)VALLETTA, Malta (AP) — European Union leaders are poised to take a big step on Friday in closing off the illegal migration route from Libya across the central Mediterranean, where thousands have died trying to reach the EU, the EU chief said. EU Council President Donald Tusk said Thursday the EU summit would pave the way for humanitarian action to save lives of poor people with no chance to stay on in Europe. Last year, 5,083 people died in the Mediterranean Sea, according to the International Organization for Migration. Beyond Libya, EU investment to counter people from leaving Africa would have to be extended over a big swathe of nations from Ethiopia to Nigeria, making for a very costly arrangement. In Turkey, EU committed 3 billion euros through to the end of the year to help the mostly Syrian refugees there.

Source: Libya Today February 02, 2017 19:58 UTC