The African Union said it would put a plan in place for the voluntary humanitarian evacuation of migrants in Libya.
The AU said in a statement on Saturday that this would be done with the International Organization for Migration following a recent visit to Libya by AU special envoy, Amira El Fadil.
The AU decision, announced on Saturday, comes amid reports that African migrants held in Libya were auctioned off like slaves.
AU Commission Chairperson, Moussa Faki Mahamat, dispatched El Fadil to visit one of the Government-controlled migrant detention centres, Tariq Al Matar, that hosts about 3,820 migrants.
The AU said that the Special Envoy unequivocally reaffirmed the strong condemnation by the African Union of the auctioning and mistreatment of African migrants.
“She expressed the African Union’s continued commitment to work with Libyan authorities to carry out an immediate investigation on the inhumane situation of African migrants in Libya and to identify those responsible and bring them to justice.”
“The Special Envoy expressed concern at the overcrowded and sanitation conditions of the Tariq Al Matar detention centre, highlighting the serious risk of an epidemic outbreak such as scabies, already noticed amongst infants,” the AU statement said.
The AU said that the Special Envoy observed that the present migrant crisis and its resolution are beyond the control of the Libyan authorities and what they can handle on their own.
“There is a need for the African Union and the larger international community to further support their efforts.”
The AU said Libyan authorities expressed a willingness and commitment to cooperate with the African Union Commission to lead the process of repatriation or migrants and resolution of the crisis.
The Commissioner assured the Libyan authorities that the Commission would spare no effort to assist in the rescue and voluntary repatriation process of the stranded African nationals in Libya.
