TRIPOLI, May 11 (Xinhua) -- Libyan-Italian joint committee held a meeting in Tripoli on Thursday to discuss illegal immigration and southern Libyan border security.
The meeting took place in the headquarter of the Libyan general department of coastal security.
The meeting was attended by the head of the department, Tareq Shanbur, and the Italian Ambassador to Libya, Giuseppe Perrone.
According to the media office of the department of coastal security, the discussion included "means to implement the Libyan-Italian memorandum of understanding of 2008-2017, as well as fighting illegal immigration in southern Libya to prevent immigration from northern Libya towards Europe."
The officials discussed mechanisms for joint cooperation in maritime patrols and security of Libya coast, the media office said.
"Joint committee focuses on concrete steps to curb migrant smuggling. Applauding Libyan Coast Guard (for) rescuing 500 people off Sabrata," the Italian embassy tweeted on Thursday.
Due to the insecurity and chaos, thousands of migrants depart from Libya towards Europe, many of whom drown in the Mediterranean before reaching European shores.
