ROME: A course in “migrant and refugee protection” for Libyan authorities has been organized by the Sovereign Order of Malta, a Catholic religious order founded in Jerusalem in the 11th century, in cooperation with the British think tank Forward Thinking.
Participants include representatives of Libya’s defense, interior, justice and labor ministries, as well as other key national institutions.
The Sovereign Order of Malta said the course, which is being carried out online due to the coronavirus pandemic, “stems from the ongoing social and political instability Libya has been experiencing, with the many challenges posed by the migration and refugee crisis.”
The order’s Grand Chancellor Albrecht Boeselager said during the opening session: “Libya is facing a global challenge, with regional implications, driven by factors beyond its borders.”
The order has diplomatic relations with over 100 states and the EU, and has permanent observer status at the UN.
It is neutral, impartial and apolitical, and is active in 120 countries, providing medical, social and humanitarian aid for people in need.
“In the many meetings held starting from 2015 with a group of Libyan policymakers, representatives of government and institutions, as well as international stakeholders, what emerged is that the only way forward is to engage the many actors involved in the region in a capacity-building process to enable the country to address multiple urgent matters,” Boeselager said.
The course is being held over five days, with sessions facilitated by the International Institute of Humanitarian Law based in Sanremo, Italy.
