Libyan officials from different authorities met with the Italian ambassador to Libya, Giuseppe Perrone, and a delegation from the Italian defense and interior ministries as well as representatives of the Italian Prime Minister at the coast security department's headquarters in Tripoli on Thursday.

The meeting discussed the knowhow of implementing the 2008-2017 signed Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) between Italy and Libya, stressing on fighting illegal immigration in southern Libya to prevent them from gushing into northern Libya to cross the sea to Europe.

The two parties also reviewed the needs of the Libyan defense and interior ministries so that they become more fit for executing the missions they are tasked with regarding illegal immigration, besides the needs of the Libyan-Italian joint operations room.

The Italian and Libyan officials also talked about the needed mechanisms that are necessary for activating joint patrols between the two countries' coastguards to stem the illegal immigration issue, adding that the training program for the Libyan coastguards must remain in place so that they become more competent and confident in getting their jobs done.