Below is an excerpt of the joint NGO statement addressing the emergency in the South Mediterranean.  For the full statement, including concrete recommendations to the European Union and Member States, please see the pdf document below.

We are representatives of humanitarian, human rights, refugee and migrant assisting organisations from all over Europe who are deeply concerned about and committed to the response to refugees, migrants and other displaced persons in and from North Africa. We believe that this is a moment for action and cooperation by the European Union and Member States, together with NGOs and broader civil society, anchored in the core values of the Union that is solidarity, humanity and respect for human rights.

1. A call to broaden humanitarian assistance to all displaced in Northern Africa
   More than 400,000 people have fled Libya to date, of which many thousands are stranded in the border areas. A large and growing number are displaced within Libya. It is likely that these numbers will increase because of the fighting and widespread violence in Libya.
2. A call to increase resettlement<
   Among the displaced, a large number are men, women and children who cannot return to their own countries because of violence or the risk of persecution there, including Ethiopians, Eritreans, Somalis and Sudanese. Where neither effective protection nor local integration is available to these refugees, resettlement is the only durable solution left.

3. A call for identification and differentiation of people with rights to specific protection
   Since the beginning of the year, over 20,000 persons have arrived by boat in Lampedusa of which more than 6,000 arrived over the last week. Of the arrivals from Tunisia thus far, the vast majority have expressed economic reasons for their move and are not looking for international protection. A small number among them however, and a substantially greater number among those leaving Libya are a mix of both refugees and asylum seekers (particularly Eritreans and Somalis) and migrants of different nationalities and profiles, including many women and children. Significant boat arrivals have started to arrive also in Malta and are likely to expand to other Mediterranean countries.

4. A call for assistance and solidarity at the EU borders of the Mediterranean
   Additional measures to respond to the large influxes of boatpeople from Tunisia and other Maghreb countries should be taken in countries of arrival (Italy, Malta and other Mediterranean countries). These measures should cover both adequate frontline humanitarian services and appropriate reception capacity.

5. A call to increase legal migration possibilities and visa facilitation

6. A pledge of NGO solidarity
   

Finally, as everyday partners of EU and Member States in a multiplicity of relevant, on-the-ground responses that reflect European values of solidarity, humanity and respect for human rights, we pledge to continue to cooperate broadly in practical efforts to address these challenges, fulfill international, regional and national obligations, and provide the essential identification, differentiation, protection and assistance that is called for in this historic moment.

For more information, please contact:

ICMC Europe
Rue Washington 40
1050 Brussels, BELGIUM
hueck@icmc.net<

JRS Europe
Rue du Progrès 333, first floor
1030 Brussels, BELGIUM
europe.senioradvocacy@jrs.net<

Photo credit: UNHCR/P.Behan/March 2011

Joint NGO statement on emergency in South Mediterranean (157.64 KB)