European coordination in practice… Managing the emergency, preparing for the worst…
11 hours… It's time for the daily teleconference meeting for those responsible for crisis management in the European Union. Objective: to coordinate the European effort in the face of the situation in Libya and, above all, to “exchange information”. It’s “vital,” several people I spoke to told me. “We exchange information on means of evacuation, closures of ports, roads, the situation on site, the risks, …” The focus is also placed on a particular subject. Today (Thursday), ECHO, the Humanitarian Office, must present its evaluations.
The exchange of information: vital!
Every morning, since the start of the Libyan crisis, all the actors in the crisis - the crisis units in each capital of the 27 member states - and the main interlocutors in Brussels (SitCen, diplomatic service, etc.). Liaison is also made with other actors: the UN, the United States, the Red Cross, the military, etc. by each of the “directors” of the Diplomatic Service or the European Commission (SitCen for the consular and analysis information, ECHO for the humanitarian response and MIC for the coordination of civilian resources, particularly maritime for Benghazi, military headquarters for military resources, particularly air, etc.).
The evacuation of Europeans: a reality difficult to appreciate
The “approximately” impression on the figures of European nationals in Libya is confirmed. What seems certain is that there are not 10.000 Europeans, a figure put forward publicly for several days by the European Commission. We would rather be around 5-6000 people. “ The problem – explains a European diplomat to me – is that we don't have a reliable census. There are many isolated nationals about whom we know nothing, who have not been reported to the Consulate: tourists in the desert, people who worked for companies or came with private planesEtc. ...
The exchange of information is therefore important. And it apparently works, one might say. “ Every day the planes of the member countries which return, repatriate nationals other than their nationality: the French plane did so on returning from Sebha, the German plane, the Austrian plane… there is a certain European coordination, which works. It's not perfect. But we are in a really, really difficult situation. »
We cannot help but feel a certain feeling of improvisation and tinkering at the level of European crisis structures. “ We do indeed have a problem, as is often the case at European level, we are taking action. But let's not say it. Hence this impression. »
Complex situation for European diplomacy
“We are in a difficult and complex situation,” explains a senior official of the Diplomatic Service. " It is complicated. Because there is no European delegation (embassy) in Tripoli. And the Hungarian embassy (which coordinates) is quite small ". And, on site, unlike other situations where a nation takes the lead (principle of the “framework nation), “ no one has done it until now, no one really has the means to do it.” As for working conditions, they are not easy. “phone cut, mobile network faulty, internet cut ". The question of diplomatic and consular reinforcement really arises. Some countries such as the United Kingdom have sent additional staff. Apparently, at European level, this is not yet the case.
Humanitarian side: prepare for the worst
The work of Europeans is also the humanitarian situation. " We are working on different scenarios. We must consider the worst (worst case scenario). » Among these scenarios, there are possible hostage-taking of Europeans but also the drift into a total war between the rebellion and the power of Gaddafi... We could have massive immigration: 1 million to 1,5 million people (the Libya has several hundred thousand foreigners, often from poor countries). “We must therefore prepare for a massive arrival of “displaced people” from the camps in Egypt and Tunisia who will then have to be repatriated to their homes (Bangladesh, etc.). » Not counting the Libyan refugees who will ask for asylum.
NB: The fear of several European officials is also political. And this is one of the “worst case” scenarios: that Libya becomes uncontrollable, a new Somalia. Hence the great caution of certain border countries (Malta, Italy, but also Greece or Cyprus).
