Hundreds of Libyans protested at the UNHCR headquarters in Tripoli on June 4, 2026. They demanded that all migrants leave the country and that the UNHCR headquarters be permanently closed. They accused the UN of plotting to resettle migrants in Libya.
The protesters set up tents in front of the headquarters, blocking the gates with a truck full of sand. They chanted, “The Libyans have given their message. We don’t want infiltrators in our country, take them out.” They said Libya was their country alone, and that the protest was about love for the country, not racism.
The number of migrants in Libya has reached 900,000, according to the IOM. Many are fleeing poverty, war and persecution, and are preparing to continue their journey to Europe. Protesters blame the migrants for the economic and social crisis that has gripped the country for 15 years, following the death of Col Muammar Gaddafi.
The UN's Libya Coordination Office has reported that its staff are being targeted by false information and hate speech. It explained that the UN has no plans to resettle migrants in Libya. Instead, it is looking for ways to relocate them to other countries or help them return home.
UNHCR says it is seeking solutions outside Libya for people fleeing war, conflict, and persecution. These solutions include repatriating them to other countries or repatriating those who wish to return to their countries of origin, where possible.
Migrants living in Libya say they are being persecuted by their own people due to intense hostility. The UN says the situation is of grave concern, and that is why UNHCR is urgently seeking safe places where they can live permanently or temporarily.
In September 2019, UNHCR signed an agreement with Rwanda to temporarily host migrants from Libya. They are being taken to the Gashora camp while they wait for countries to agree to accept them permanently.
Since the signing of this agreement until February 2026, Rwanda had already received 2,760 migrants from Libya. More than 2,500 have left, being taken in by countries including the United States, Sweden, Norway, and Canada.
NSANZIMANA Sylver
