Abdulhadi Huweij, Minister of Foreign Affairs and International Cooperation in the government appointed by the House of Representatives, announced the repatriation of 117,350 migrants as part of the “Voluntary Return” program, in cooperation with international organizations, as part of humanitarian efforts to address the issue of illegal migration in accordance with national and international standards.

This announcement came as Huweij chaired the 19th regular meeting of the ministry’s departments and technical offices for 2026 on Wednesday in Benghazi, attended by the directors of the departments and technical offices, as well as representatives from the Office of Advisors, the Office of Political Planning, and the Office of Coordination and Follow-up.

Statistics on Those Deported Under the Voluntary Return Program

During the meeting, the minister explained that the number of deportees included 84,927 men, 19,949 women, and 12,474 children, emphasizing that the program is part of cooperation with international partners to provide sustainable solutions to the issue of irregular migration while respecting human rights.

The meeting reviewed mechanisms for improving the performance of departments and technical offices, with Huweij emphasizing the importance of strengthening the role of the Political Planning and Coordination and Follow-up Offices in preparing strategic frameworks for diplomatic work, developing a knowledge management system, and disseminating best practices across the Ministry’s various departments.

He also called for improving the mechanisms for preparing diplomatic meetings and gatherings, ensuring the readiness of political and technical dossiers, adopting clear indicators to measure departmental performance, and strengthening coordination with international and regional organizations in a manner that serves the priorities of the Libyan government.

The minister emphasized that the technical departments and offices constitute the backbone of diplomatic work, stressing the need to enhance their efficiency and strengthen integration between them and the political departments to ensure the smooth flow of information and the rapid exchange of data and reports.

Deadline for Foreign Schools to Regularize Their Status

It was also decided to grant foreign schools that have not met the legal requirements a grace period until the end of the 2025–2026 school year to regularize their status; they will not be permitted to operate during the upcoming school year until they have completed the legal procedures, as part of efforts to regulate the operations of foreign schools and ensure their compliance with national laws.

In a related development, it was decided to hold an expanded meeting of international cooperation departments from various ministries and government agencies on July 30, 2026, hosted by the Investment Promotion Authority, with the aim of strengthening coordination and unifying efforts in the implementation of foreign policy in the field of international cooperation.