MSF announced that it had recently received a letter from the Libyan Ministry of Foreign Affairs ordering it to leave the country by November 9. On March 27, 2025, MSF was instructed to suspend its activities in Libya following the closure of its premises by the Libyan Internal Security Agency (ISA) and the interrogation of … Read more
In June 2022, Médecins Sans Frontières called on European and North American governments, among others, to urgently offer protection to migrants trapped in Libya by strengthening existing exit mechanisms (via the Office of the High Commissioner for Refugees – UNHCR and the International Organisation for Migration – IOM; and opening up alternative ways out of … Read more
Central Mediterranean, 9 December 2022 – At 11:31 on Wednesday 7th December, little *Ali entered the world on board the Geo Barents, a search and rescue vessel chartered by Médecins Sans Frontières (MSF). His mother, Fatima*, gave birth in the small medical clinic on board, after hours of difficult labour. The pain began while she … Read more
Libyans desperate to flee violence risk the dangerous crossing to Europe Today, November 2, the Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) on migration between the Italian and Libyan governments will automatically renew for three years. The European Union (EU)-sponsored agreement has seen millions of dollars of financial and technical support given to the Libya Coast Guard, who … Read more
One year of operations in the Central Mediterranean have passed by, this time with the Geo Barents – Médecins Sans Frontières’ (MSF) vessel – rescuing 3,138 people and conducting 6,536 medical consultations before disembarking in a place of safety in Europe. Following last week’s tragic rescue, the sad reality at the Southern European border has … Read more
On 16 November, Doctors Without Borders/Médecins Sans Frontières’ search and rescue ship, the Geo Barents, responded to a distress call of a small wooden boat floating in the Central Mediterranean Sea. Our teams rescued 99 people; tragically, 10 people died, having been asphyxiated due to petrol fumes. Several days after the rescue, Geo Barent’s communications manager, Candida Lobes, spoke … Read more
Almost three months after suspending medical activities in two detention centres in Tripoli, Libya, following a series of concerning incidents, Doctors Without Borders/Médecins Sans Frontières (MSF) has returned to work in these centres, to provide vital medical care for detained migrants and refugees. We have also resumed activities in a third detention centre, which we had … Read more
Following repeated incidents of violence towards refugees and migrants held in two detention centres in Tripoli, Libya, Médecins Sans Frontières (MSF) has announced that we feel obliged to temporarily suspend our activities in Mabani and Abu Salim detention centres. “This is not an easy decision to make, as it means we won’t be present in detention centres where … Read more
At the end of 2017, horrific images of migrants sold as mere commodities in Libya were travelling around the world. This sparked a global outcry and pushed many leaders, in Europe, in Africa, in Libya, to promise measures to protect refugees and migrants from abuse and slavery-like conditions. However, two years later, nothing has really … Read more
Amsterdam/Marseille – As the 213 people rescued by the Ocean Viking last week disembarked in Messina, Italy, SOS MEDITERRANEE and Doctors Without Borders/Médecins Sans Frontières (MSF) have repeated their calls to EU governments to cease hindering lifesaving Search and Rescue (SAR) operations, and to ensure a sustained and coordinated response to the ongoing humanitarian disaster in the central Mediterranean. More than … Read more