(EUBAM) Libya

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ReSHAPE Online Papers Series, no. 03/13 – June 2013 The EU Border Assistance Mission (EUBAM) in Libya The European Union Integrated Border Management Assistance Mission in Libya (EUBAM) is a civilian mission under the Common Security and Defense Policy (CSDP) aimed at supporting the Libyan authorities in enhancing and developing the security of the country’s borders. In particular, the mission entails two kinds of objectives, in the short term the security of land, sea and air borders, in the long term a broader Integrated Border Management (IBM) strategy. The way to achieve these objectives is mainly the transfer of know-how. No executive function is envisaged. In fact, the planned activities consist of “training and mentoring the Libyan authorities in strengthening the border services in accordance with international standards and best practices”; “to advise the Libyan authorities on the development of a Libyan national IBM strategy”; “to support the Libyan authorities in strengthening their institutional operational capabilities” (Task, art. 3 a, b, c). 2 The mission responds to an invitation by Libya and is part of the EU’s comprehensive approach to support the Libyan post-conflict reconstruction, and specifically to contribute to stateconsolidation, economic development and the fight against organized crime and terrorism. Border control: a complex issue, a regional challenge As above mentioned, this mission is part of the EU’s comprehensive approach in the Libyan post-conflict reconstruction, so it is in line with the package of activities, listed in the previous section, the EU has implemented during the last two years in Libya. It is particularly important because it addresses a relevant issue in the Libyan transition and concerns a field where the EU would continue to work: disarmament, demobilization and reintegration. What differentiates EUBAM Libya from other activities is the complexity and the extension of the issue the EU has committed to face. That is to say that the Libyan borders’ control should be seen in a wider regional perspective, considering the Maghreb and the Sahel regions. This task entails coordination with the other CSDP mission in the wider region, namely EUCAP SAHEL Niger and EUTM Mali. Furthermore, the EUBAM mission should be considered as part of an international effort aimed at developing and supporting security sector reform in line with UN Security Council Resolution 1973(2011) on Libya. It is worth underlining that Libya is a large country, bordered by the Mediterranean Sea to the north, Egypt to the east, Sudan to the southeast, Chad and Niger to the south, and Algeria and Tunisia to the west. It has a 4.348 km land border and 1.770 km maritime border which are difficult to control and porous to mass migration flows (south-south immigration) and to access by criminal organizations (arms and drugs trafficking and terrorist activities). The proliferation of weapons from Libya continues at an “alarming rate”. Libya arms have flowed to more than 12 countries and have fueled conflicts in Syria, Mali and elsewhere, boosting the arsenals of extremists and criminals in the entire region. As an instance, the jihadist of the MNLA (National Movement for the Liberation of Azawad), responsible for the military campaign of the Northern Mali and numerous atrocities, had previously served in Gaddafi’s military. 3 The migratory phenomenon has a double movement, inward and outward. It has gained an increasing importance since the beginning of 2012 and has involved young people from tribes located near the borders, and networks of smugglers. In some territories, it has given place to the 2 COUNCIL DECISION 2013/233/CFSP of 22 May 2013 on the European Union Integrated Border Management Assistance Mission in Libya (EUBAM Libya), http://eurlex.europa.eu/LexUriServ/LexUriServ.douri=OJ:L:2013:138:0015:0018:EN:PDF p.1 3 UN Security Council report, 9 March 2013, Final report of the Panel of Experts established pursuant to resolution 1973 (2011) concerning Libya, http://www.securitycouncilreport.org/atf/cf/%7B65BFCF9B-6D27-4E9C- 8CD3-CF6E4FF96FF9%7D/s_2013_99.pdf Francesca Arcidiacono, EU Border Assistance Mission (EUBAM) Libya: Testing EU Actorness - 4
ReSHAPE Online Papers Series, no. 03/13 – June 2013 armed occupation of the borders. 4 This statement is confirmed by data provided by the UNHCR in a report about Libya. At the end of August 2012 the UN agency registered approximately 10.000 refugees and asylum seekers; in December 2013, the number increased to 12.000 refugees from various origins. On the contrary, in August 2012, the refugees fleeing Libya were approximately 209.000 people. The waves of immigration from Northern Libya directly interested the European continent as proved by the large number of North African people trying to reach the Italian Lampedusa island, especially in the Spring 2011. So, this issue is important for the country and the entire Sahel as well as for the European countries directly affected. 5 The European Union faced the waves of migrants from North Africa with the FRONTEX Joint Operation Hermes 2011, set up in February 2011 to assist the Italian authorities to manage the incoming flows. These waves of migration were depicted as economic and security concern on the European side of the Mediterranean. In September 2012, the EU and the Libyan officials, together with INTERPOL, established a system to control passport in order to identify wanted persons, suspected terrorists and transnational criminals. How big is the challenge EUBAM Libya is going to face was defined at a recent workshop run by the United Nations Support Mission in Libya (UNSMIL) for the Border Guards, police, customs, coastguards and other interested parties, in May 2013. In that occasion, the international organization identified weaknesses and strengths of the issue of border management in Libya and underlined the Libyan political will as well as “the shortage of modern equipment, technology, experienced personnel” and lack of comprehensive plan to secure borders from illegal traffics of arms and drugs and uncontrolled migration. 6 The Chief of Staff of the Libyan Border Guard Force, Brigadier-General Abdul-Khaleq Al-Senussi affirmed that there is shortage of personnel, weapons and technology to secure the borders and the need to rely on revolutionary brigades to do it. Other Libyans authorities pointed out that coordination is needed to minimize the problems tied to the lack of information and systematic data. They stress that the huge issues are along the remote southern desert border (uncontrolled and porous to criminal organizations, especially because they are barely populated and economically poor) and not in the coastal or aerial borders; that Libyans need trainings, technical expertise and more clarity in jurisdiction, and to develop the country, implementing small and medium size projects to absorb the youth and reduce tensions. The launch of the border assistance mission In January 2013, the Minister for Foreign Affairs and International Cooperation of Libya addressed a letter to the High Representative of the Union for Foreign Affairs and Security Policy, welcoming the Union’s CSDP proposal to support the Libyan authorities in border security management. After several months of reflections, discussions and observations, the Council of the EU approved “the crisis management concept of EUBAM Libya”. The needs assessment on integrated border management which the EU undertook in 2012 helped define the scope and activities of the mission. Then, in March 2013, the EU deployed in the country an expert mission, consisting of 10 experts aimed at implementing the preparatory elements of the mission and holding a series of constructing discussions. 7 In the same month, the leader of the EU mission, the Director 4 Affrontements armés, réseaux tribaux et prédation aux frontières de la Libye (2012), Institut de Recherche sur le Maghreb Contemporaine, http://irmc.hypotheses.org/656 5 Actually, the issue of borders was already tackled in 2011, during the Paris Conference on Libya’s future where the National Transitional Council of Libya, Western leaders and important international organizations met together. 6 Libyan Border Security: Feverish Determination, Sobering Reality, (23 May 2013), UNSMIL http://unsmil.unmissions.org/Default.aspxctl=Details&tabid=3543&mid=6187&ItemID=1480543 7 Head of EU border support mission announced (2013), http://www.libyaherald.com/2013/03/23/head-of-euborder-support-mission-announced/ Francesca Arcidiacono, EU Border Assistance Mission (EUBAM) Libya: Testing EU Actorness - 5
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(EUBAM) Libya

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