Less than the sum of its parts

This policy brief argues that the European Union's focus on reducing irregular migration from Libya through short-term operational successes undermines the long-term goal of establishing a stable, accountable, and civilian-led security sector in Libya.

• The European Union and its member states have successfully reduced irregular migration from Libya to Europe in the short term, with Italian authorities reporting a drop in migrant apprehensions from approximately 119,000 in 2017 to around 23,000 in 2018.
• EU efforts to secure borders have relied on a hybrid security system in Libya where formal state institutions are weak and power is held by a mix of de jure authorities, quasi-affiliated armed groups, and independent armed groups.
• The EU's reliance on the Libyan Coast Guard for border security has inadvertently strengthened units influenced by armed groups, such as the unit in Zawiya, which has been linked to migrant exploitation and fuel smuggling despite being operationally effective.
• Italy has pursued a direct approach to migration control by making deals with armed groups along the western Libyan coast to prevent migrants from embarking, prioritizing tactical success over institutional stability.
• The international community's fixation on counter-migration risks creating 'gatekeepers'—specific commanders or forces who gain privileged access to donor support because they meet short-term operational needs, rather than those who address the primary security concerns of the Libyan population.
• The EU's approach of using military forces for civilian law enforcement missions and focusing on short-term operational goals hinders the development of a sequenced, strategic, and long-term security sector reform (SSR) process.

APA

Herbert, M. (2019). Less than the sum of its parts. Institute for Security Studies. https://issafrica.s3.amazonaws.com/site/uploads/pb-126.pdf

Chicago

Herbert, Matt. Less than the sum of its parts. Institute for Security Studies, 2019. https://issafrica.s3.amazonaws.com/site/uploads/pb-126.pdf.

Wikipedia

{{cite report |last1=Herbert |first1=Matt |title=Less than the sum of its parts |publisher=Institute for Security Studies |date=2019 |url=https://issafrica.s3.amazonaws.com/site/uploads/pb-126.pdf |access-date=17 August 2026 |via=Climate Insights Directory}}

BibTeX

@techreport{herbert2019less, author = {Herbert, Matt}, title = {{Less than the sum of its parts}}, institution = {Institute for Security Studies}, year = {2019}, url = {https://issafrica.s3.amazonaws.com/site/uploads/pb-126.pdf}, urldate = {2026-08-17}, note = {Indexed by Climate Insights Directory} }