Libyan authorities have accused international aid organizations of attempting to alter the country’s ethnic identity by encouraging African migrants to settle there. The government, based in Tripoli, has ordered 10 humanitarian organisations, including the United Nations refugee agency (UNHCR) and Doctors Without Borders (MSF), to close their offices in the country.
“This plan to settle migrants of African origin in our country represents a hostile act. It aims to change the demographic composition of the country and threatens the balance of Libyan society,” said Salem Gheit, spokesperson for Libya’s Internal Security Authority, on Thursday.
The statement, which was widely circulated on Libyan media, echoes sentiments expressed by Tunisia’s President Kais Saied in 2023, when he accused sub-Saharan African migrants of changing the country’s identity—a move that was swiftly condemned as racist across Africa and beyond.
Both Libya and Tunisia are key transit countries for African migrants trying to reach Europe across the Mediterranean Sea. However, the governments in both countries are now facing criticism for what many describe as rising anti-Black sentiment and harsh policies targeting vulnerable migrants and refugees.
The Libyan authorities named 10 organisations, including MSF, UNHCR, and the Norwegian Refugee Council, accusing them of encouraging African migrants to remain in Libya by providing food, medical care, and clothing.
“They [the NGOs] are making Libya a final destination, not a transit country,” the authorities alleged, despite clear evidence that most migrants and refugees wish to move on to Europe and are not looking to settle permanently in Libya.
Doctors Without Borders, which had already suspended its operations in Libya a week ago due to rising tensions, expressed concern over what it called a campaign of harassment against humanitarian workers.
“Our organisation is very concerned about the consequences these orders will have on the health of patients and the safety of humanitarian staff,” MSF said in a statement to the BBC, adding that its staff had faced interrogation and intimidation since mid-March.
The United Nations refugee agency, UNHCR, pushed back against Libya’s accusations. It said that the people it supports in Libya are not illegal migrants but registered refugees and asylum seekers who are in urgent need of humanitarian assistance.
“UNHCR has been operating in Libya for over 30 years, providing life-saving aid to refugees, asylum seekers, and vulnerable Libyan communities. We are in contact with the authorities to seek clarity on the recent statements,” said UNHCR spokesperson William Spindler.
UNHCR also clarified that it has not yet received any official expulsion orders and continues to work with the consent of the Tripoli-based government.
Since the fall of long-time leader Muammar Gaddafi in 2011, Libya has been in turmoil, divided between rival governments and controlled by various armed militias. This power vacuum has allowed human trafficking networks to grow unchecked, with many African migrants subjected to slavery, sexual abuse, and extreme violence.
The country remains one of the most dangerous places for sub-Saharan African migrants. Human rights groups have documented countless cases of torture, killings, rape, and forced labour. Migrants and refugees, many of whom flee war and poverty in countries like Nigeria, Sudan, Eritrea, and Somalia, are often caught in a cycle of abuse and detention.
Detention centres across Libya are often controlled by militias rather than formal authorities. Survivors report horrific conditions, including beatings, starvation, and death.
The Libyan coastguard, which receives support from the European Union to prevent migrants from reaching European shores, has also been accused of failing to rescue people in distress and, in some cases, filming them as they drown.
Despite these dangers, the Libyan government is now accusing aid groups of “attracting” migrants to the country.
The accusations have drawn strong reactions from rights groups and survivors of abuse in Libya. Many migrants and refugees say they do not want to stay in the country and are only trying to pass through Libya to get to safer places.
A Sudanese woman who was trafficked in Libya shared her harrowing story with the BBC earlier this year. She had been promised work cleaning a home but was instead raped repeatedly by the man who hired her.
“He used to call me a ‘disgusting black’. He raped me and said: ‘This is what women were made for,’” she said, adding that even children in Libya insult and mistreat Black Africans.
“Even kids here are mean to us, they treat us as beasts and sorcerers, they insult us for being Black and African. Are they not Africans themselves?” she asked.
Her story is one of thousands. In recent years, sub-Saharan African migrants in Libya have reported being beaten, enslaved, or sold in open-air markets. Despite these abuses, many migrants still make the dangerous journey in the hope of crossing the Mediterranean to Europe.
Observers say Libya’s latest actions may be driven by political motives and growing pressure from both domestic groups and European governments to reduce migration.
By blaming aid organisations, the Libyan authorities may be trying to deflect attention from their failure to address human trafficking and protect vulnerable populations.
Critics also say the government’s claim that humanitarian support “encourages” migrants to stay is unfounded. Aid workers argue that providing food and medicine is a basic human duty and does not influence a refugee’s decision to remain in a conflict-ridden country like Libya.
The United Nations has yet to issue an official response to the mass expulsion order, but rights groups and African leaders are already raising concerns about the safety of both migrants and aid workers.
Nigeria, one of the top African countries with nationals stranded or trafficked in Libya, has in the past worked to repatriate its citizens. Between 2017 and 2020, over 15,000 Nigerians were returned from Libya through government-supported evacuations coordinated with the International Organization for Migration (IOM).
With Libya’s stance hardening, Nigerian officials may be forced to act again. Human rights experts are calling on African governments, including Nigeria, to condemn Libya’s recent move and protect their citizens from racial abuse and violence. As Libya closes its doors to humanitarian aid, the fate of thousands of migrants remains uncertain. For many, the journey to a better life continues to be a road paved with fear, exploitation, and suffering
