Foreign Office of the Federal Republic of Germany

07/12/2026 | Press release | Distributed by Public on 07/13/2026 06:28

Visit to Libya by Federal Government Commissioner for Human Rights Policy and Humanitarian Assistance Lars Castellucci

Federal Government Commissioner for Human Rights Policy and Humanitarian Assistance Lars Castellucci issued the following statement today (12 July 2026) prior to his departure for Tripoli:

A mere 300 kilometres of the Mediterranean Sea separate Libya from the European Union. The country forms part of the EU's immediate neighbourhood. Developments there affect us in Europe. This applies in particular to displacement and migration movements from Asia and Sub-Saharan Africa. Since the conflict in the Sudan broke out again in 2023, around a million people have fled to Libya. As a result, the country faces humanitarian, migration and societal challenges, which are exacerbated by the ongoing political crisis that remains unresolved since the Arab Spring.

During my visit to Libya, I will be briefed on the situation facing refugees and migrants, as well as the Libyan communities hosting them. We must work with Libya and other actors along the migration routes to find solutions in order to spare those seeking protection from undertaking the perilous journey to Europe. We need to counter how people are increasingly getting used to the situation in the Mediterranean Sea - every death by drowning is a death too many.

At the same time, I am closely following the reports on the human rights situation in Libya. I am particularly concerned about the disadvantaged population groups, so I will also speak with representatives of civil society about their work and scope for action. The focus here will be on exploring how Germany can support Libya in improving living conditions for the people of Libya and strengthening civil-society engagement.

Background information:

The Federal Government Commissioner for Human Rights Policy and Humanitarian Assistance, Lars Castellucci, is visiting the Libyan capital, Tripoli, from 12 to 15 July 2026.

By hosting the Berlin Conferences in 2020 and 2021, Germany helped make it possible to end the civil war in Libya. Despite this, the country has still not held national elections. Germany is working to ensure that a democratic transitional period comes to a successful conclusion with the holding of free, transparent and inclusive parliamentary and presidential elections. In this context, Germany is supporting the endeavours of the United Nations Support Mission in Libya (UNSMIL), which is facilitating a broad and inclusive political process.

Germany's Human Rights Commissioner will meet representatives of Libyan public authorities, national and international NGOs, civil society and UNSMIL in Tripoli. The developments in the fields of human rights, migration, humanitarian assistance and political ownership will be important topics on the agenda of these talks. In 2025, Germany supported Libya in the care of vulnerable people by providing 2.1 million euro via international organisations. Germany also supports projects aimed at empowering women and young people in society, enhancing the healthcare system, and strengthening basic services and municipal development.

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