Libya slave trade: Joint military taskforce to patrol illegal routes

A joint military taskforce from various African countries will soon patrol the high waters in the Mediterranean as well as the travel paths on land in a bid to monitor and report on cases of human trafficking and slave trade, Dr Admore Kambudzi, Acting Director for AU Peace and Security Department, has said.

According to him, this would complement the efforts of European navy and patrol agencies.

"This regional force will be in Central Africa, Southern Africa, Western Africa, Northern Africa and Eastern Africa. This is a serious problem. The force is almost ready," he said in an interview with Dr Etse Sikanku on Class 91.3 FM's World Affairs on Friday, December 1.

His comment comes in the wake of a video that shows African migrants being sold as slaves in Libya which has sparked a global outcry. It has come to light that hundreds of Black Africans are being auctioned in modern-day slave markets for $400 per person as Libya is the main transit hub for illegal immigrants and refugees seeking to reach Europe.

The footage published by CNN shows two men stand in the dark negotiating with an auctioneer to buy migrants.

Dr Kambudzi, who was not enthused about the latest development in the Northern African country said the military force will observe and monitor the flow of human traffickers and report back on what is happening.

He said an African managed force will help the AU to get first-hand knowledge of the situation on the ground rather than depend on western sources.

"To tell you the truth, we don't know as Africa, exactly what is happening [in relation to] the situation in Libya and the Mediterranean. We don't know the exact situation. We are learning this from Western media, from global TV," he stated.