EU, UN and African leaders draw up emergency plan
A summit gathering European and African leaders from more than 80 countries yesterday drew to a close with plans for the immediate evacuation of some 3,800 African migrants stranded in Libya.
Wrapping up the summit in the Ivorian capital, a top African Union official said there could be as many as 700,000 Africans trapped in Libya, where many have suffered attrocities and even been sold into slavery.
The two-day summit of the African Union (AU) and European Union (EU) was showcased as a project to boost development in Africa as it faces a population crunch.
But it was largely overshadowed by shock TV footage of black Africans sold as slaves in Libya, prompting protests in many countries and demands for action.
In a final address, AU commission chief Moussa Faki Mahamat said those stranded in Libya wanted to get out "as swiftly as possible," warning that there were between "400,000 and 700,000" people there and at least 42 migrant camps.
"We must urgently save those who are in this (dire) situation, and then together, Libya, the EU, AU and UN, we must think about devising longer-term solutions for the migration issue."
Hosting the summit, Ivorian President Alassan Outtara agreed there was an urgent need for action.
"The inhumane treatment of migrants challenges us, requiring responses which match our condemnation," he said.
He called on humanitarian aid to go hand-in-hand with action to root out human trafficking, and solutions for the poverty that prompted so many young Africans to take the risk of trekking to Europe in search of a better life.
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