Libya: How Conflict in Libya Facilitated Transnational Expansion of Migrant Smuggling and Trafficking

How the Libyan conflict transformed human trafficking routes in West Africa, and why Europe’s response has so far failed.

Migrant smuggling and trafficking has flourished through Libya since its 2011 conflict. This article explains how this happened and why European policies aimed at addressing the issue are inadequate.

Migrant smuggling generally refers to the movement of people with their consent; while Trafficking in Persons (TIP) refers to the movement of people against their will – though the…