The Ministry of Foreign Affairs under the Government of National Unity has issued a contentious order mandating that the medical charity Médecins Sans Frontières (MSF) vacate Libyan territory before 9 November, without providing clear official reasoning. This step, taken amid a deepening humanitarian crisis in migrant and refugee detention centres across the west of the country, has triggered widespread alarm among human rights groups and international organisations, especially since MSF was the sole provider of healthcare to migrants in these areas.
Libyan Government Denounces ‘Non-Sovereign’ Action
The parallel Libyan government has outright rejected the measure, describing it as “issued by an expired authority.” In an exclusive statement to Almanassa, Abdulhadi Al-Huwaij, the Foreign Minister, called the Government of National Unity’s decision “illegal,” stressing that an administration whose mandate has concluded lacks the authority to issue such sovereign decrees.
Al-Huwaij clarified that Libyan laws (such as Law No. 2 of 2001) and Prime Minister Oussama Hamad’s directives require international organisations to have a local partner and refrain from interfering in political or religious affairs. He insisted that the Libyan Government aims to regulate, not restrict, the work of international bodies, affirming that humanitarian cooperation must continue in a manner that respects national sovereignty and law.
MSF Expresses Alarm and Hope for Resolution
For its part, Steve Borbriek, MSF’s Programme Director for Libya, voiced his “deep regret and profound concern” over the potential consequences of the decision on the health of the vulnerable populations they assist. He confirmed that the organisation’s registration remains valid, expressing hope for a positive resolution that will permit the continuation of humanitarian work in the country.
Borbriek warned that the obstacles facing aid organisations in Libya are intensifying, endangering the lives of the most vulnerable refugees and migrants.
History of Tensions and Documented Abuses at Sea
This is not the first instance of obstruction; MSF was compelled to suspend its operations last March after its offices were shut down by the Libyan Internal Security Agency, along with nine other organisations. At that time, 17 European ambassadors and a UN representative formally protested what they termed a “crackdown on international and aid workers.” Separately, concerning maritime operations, the German organisation Sea-Watch documented 60 incidents of violence attributed to the Libyan Coast Guard against migrant boats and aid vessels in the Mediterranean between 2016 and September 2025, most notably the firing upon a migrant boat in Maltese waters on 12 October, which injured three people.
MSF’s Contributions and International Advocacy
MSF detailed its recent contributions, including over 15,000 medical consultations in 2024, covering mental health and tuberculosis treatment, in addition to providing aid during the Derna floods in 2023 and facilitating the evacuation of migrants to Italy. In late September, some 40 humanitarian groups called on the European Union to terminate its 2017 partnership with Libya to fund and train the Coast Guard, arguing that the cooperation has “legitimised abuses.” Humanitarian concerns persist in the absence of an alternative medical provider for migrants, with hopes pinned on finding a legal framework that ensures continued aid delivery while upholding Libyan sovereignty and the rights of the most vulnerable.
