Libyan Coast Guard: A Controversial Force Used by Dbeibeh to Leverage European Allies

Under the leadership of Libyan Prime Minister Abdul Hamid Dbeibeh, Tripoli is establishing itself as a key player in managing irregular migration across the Mediterranean.

Recently, Libya has hosted a series of high-level international meetings where it showcased its operational capabilities and control over irregular migration.

On July 17, 2024, Tripoli hosted the Trans-Mediterranean Migration Forum (IMMF), sponsored and initiated by Dbeibeh.

The forum saw participation from Chadian President Mahamat Idriss Deby, Italian Prime Minister Giorgia Meloni, Tunisian Prime Minister Ahmed Hachani, and Maltese Prime Minister Robert Abela.

Dbeibeh announced at the forum that his goal is to curb irregular migration through various means, primarily border surveillance, under the banner of "Practical Solutions through Strategic Partnerships."

To this end, he focused on the role of the Coast Guard, which is envisioned as the security arm overseeing control operations.

The Libyan Coast Guard is of significant interest to international powers, particularly the European Union, prompting some questions: How will the Coast Guard be developed? What are its assigned tasks? What challenges does it face?

The GACS Force

Detailed official information about the Libyan Coast Guard is insignificant. Prior to the Government of National Unity in Tripoli, the Libyan Coast Guard was unstructured and linked to Libyan factions and militias.

On July 27, 2019, InfoMigrants, a website specializing in migration issues, reached out to the European Commission about the Libyan Coast Guard.

The Commission responded that it was unaware of the number of vessels, aircraft, or personnel within the Libyan Coast Guard.

Complicating matters further is the lack of an official website for the Coast Guard, except for an account in X since 2019.

According to the European Border and Coast Guard Agency (Frontex), Libya currently has two coast guard forces.

The first is the General Administration of Coastal Security (GACS), under the Government of National Unity led by Abdul Hamid Dbeibeh, and recognized internationally.

The second is the Libyan Coast Guard (LCG), part of the naval units associated with UAE-backed General Khalifa Haftar’s militias who control eastern Libya.

On July 25, Africa Intelligence reported that the Libyan Coast Guard seeks to formalize a search and rescue area for migrant boats beyond Libya's borders, specifically from Tunisian authorities.

Tripoli has unilaterally defined the area, which is recognized under the Hamburg Convention on Maritime Search and Rescue of 1979, sponsored by the International Organization for Migration (IOM).

The search and rescue zone currently covered by the Libyan Coast Guard extends west of Tripoli into Tunisian territorial waters.

Libyan Coast Guard vessels conduct rescue operations and return boats there in coordination with Tunisian authorities.

Dbeibeh’s government hopes to secure formal approval from Tunisia in the coming months to cover this maritime area without prior notification to Tunisia for such operations.

Migration remains a contentious issue for both Tunisia and Libya. Tunisian Prime Minister Ahmed Hachani clarified during IMMF that Tunisia does not wish to be a host country for migrants.

European Role

According to Africa Intelligence, Dbeibeh’s government can still rely on the European Union for support in strengthening its Coast Guard operations.

This year, Dbeibeh’s government is set to establish a base for the Maritime Rescue Coordination Center on the Tripoli waterfront, which is currently managed from offices at the Abu Sitta naval base in Tripoli.

The establishment of this Maritime Rescue Coordination Center, which will work with the Libyan Coast Guard, is a key component of the EU’s integrated program for supporting border and migration management in Libya.

The program, overseen by the Italian Ministry of the Interior, allocated €42 million for the first phase in 2017, followed by an additional €16 million the next year.

However, European Parliament member Ozlem Demirel expressed concerns in a letter to the European Council in January 2024 about the lack of financial transparency in the program.

Three months later, the Council responded that it could not access this information.

Under international law, intercepted migrants can only be disembarked in a place deemed safe.

However, many NGOs have criticized the arbitrary detentions, torture, and forced labor that migrants face upon disembarkation in Libya.

Despite this, Dbeibeh recognizes the importance of the Coast Guard to Europe and has developed a strategy to enhance its capabilities over the years.

On February 25, 2021, Operation IRINI Commander Fabio Agostini stated that the best way to curb irregular migration is by helping to dismantle human trafficking networks through training the Libyan Coast Guard.

Agostini told Euronews that the European IRINI Operation (which began in April 2020) aims to make Libyans more self-reliant in managing security in their territorial waters.

Italy's Central Role

It is important to note that Europe’s, particularly Italy’s, interest in the Libyan Coast Guard predates Dbeibeh’s tenure (which began on March 15, 2021).

On July 27, 2019, Deutsche Welle (DW) reported, citing EU sources, that a total of €336 million had been provided to the Libyan Coast Guard since 2014.

This funding came through programs related to migration in Libya under the EU Trust Fund for Africa.

The sources revealed that €91.3 million of this amount was spent on training and equipping the Libyan Coast Guard, among other initiatives.

The €91.3 million was invested in Integrated Border and Migration Management, encompassing two programs that each received half of the total amount.

The first program, adopted in July 2017, aimed to enhance the border management capabilities of Libyan authorities, among other objectives.

The second program, adopted in December 2018 and implemented by the Italian Ministry of the Interior, includes support for the Libyan Coast Guard, particularly the Maritime Rescue Coordination Center (MRCC), and the purchase and maintenance of patrol boats.

Rome has been directly training, equipping, funding, and coordinating the Libyan Coast Guard operations following an agreement between the Italian government (then center-left) and Libya in February 2017, aimed at returning boats and migrants to Libya.

This deal significantly reduced the number of migrants reaching Italy’s southern coast. Since then, Italian naval ships stationed in Tripoli have coordinated the efforts of the Libyan Coast Guard.

Human Rights Violations

The Libyan Coast Guard is accused of widespread human rights violations, particularly regarding its deliberate obstruction of migrant rescue operations in the Mediterranean.

This issue came to light when a German charity accused the Libyan Coast Guard of threatening its crew while they were attempting to rescue migrants at sea, resulting in the drowning of one migrant.

On March 3, 2024, the German charity SOS Humanity, which operates the rescue ship Humanity1, reported that the Tripoli Coast Guard used violence and fired live ammunition at the crew.

The organization stated that while they successfully rescued 77 migrants, many others were forced to board a Libyan Coast Guard vessel, which led to at least six individuals being separated from their families.

Similarly, in October 2022, the European rescue organization Sea-Watch revealed that the Coast Guard threatened to shoot down its aircraft used for monitoring the sea in search of traffickers and migrant boats.

Despite these violations, Europe’s continued support for and expansion of the Libyan Coast Guard is driven by the understanding that Tripoli’s security is Europe’s security, as noted by the BBC on July 21, 2024.

The report indicated that Dbeibeh has actively engaged with international partners from the start. He invited key figures such as Malta’s Prime Minister Robert Abela and representatives from U.S.-Africa Command to discuss cooperative efforts and training for the Coast Guard.

The role of Libya as a major departure point for migrants, especially from Sub-Saharan Africa, is highlighted by the presence of up to 2.5 million foreigners in the country. According to Libyan police, 70 to 80 percent of these entered illegally.

The International Organization for Migration estimates that over 706,000 migrants were in Libya at the beginning of 2024, although Libyan officials claim the actual number exceeds two million.

The concentration of a large number of migrants in Tripoli and the western part of the country generally serves as leverage for Dbeibeh in strengthening his domestic and international stance.

On July 13, 2024, Radio France Internationale (RFI) reported that Dbeibeh is engaged in a "double game" with respect to migration issues. The report noted that Dbeibeh seeks both financial and political gains, complaining about the influx of large numbers of irregular migrants while simultaneously requesting more financial support from the EU to manage the issue.