€125 million in EU assistance to Libya

Deputy Prime Minister and Minister for Foreign Affairs, Tonio Borg, addressed the Foreign Affairs Council of the European Union, saying that EU and UN sanctions on Libya currently in force are “assisting in their effectiveness towards eventual termination of the current conflict.”

The European Union has been the major financial contributor in the Libyan crisis so far, with humanitarian aid including repatriation flights undertaken by EU Member States to assist displaced conflict refugees and provisions of humanitarian aid.

The Foreign affairs minister thanked the other European governments that have pledged to take a number of illegal immigrants form Malta under the resettlement project. Borg stated that around 1,400 immigrants had landed in Malta in a three month span “as a direct result of the developments which have been taking place in the Southern Mediterranean rim.”

The Foreign Affairs Council welcomed the initiative by the High Representative Catherine Ashton to open a technical EU Office in Benghazi, purposely to provide further assistance in a show of solidarity to the Libyan people. This office will not be a substitute to the delegation office originally planned to be opened in Tripoli, which Foreign Ministers have agreed to open as soon as the circumstances allow.

When speaking on Egypt and Tunisia, Tonio Borg emphasised that the European Union “cannot fail the needs of the Egyptians and Tunisians.” Assisting in free and fair elections and strengthening their economies would eventually provide the Egyptians and Tunisians what they have been striving for – “a better quality of life.”

On Syria, the Foreign Affairs Council has condemned in the strongest terms the unacceptable use of violence against peaceful protestors. Whilst stating that those accountable should be held responsible, the European Union has decided to impose further restrictive measures on additional persons, including at the highest level of the Syrian leadership.