Deng Dau, the Deputy Minister of Foreign and International Cooperation - Courtesy

The Ministry of Foreign Affairs and International Cooperation has directed the country’s embassies in Sudan and Egypt to consistently address the situation of South Sudanese migrants in Libya.

Last week, a Libya-based Sudanese activist appealed to Juba to rescue dozens of South Sudanese immigrants in detention in the North African country.

Yagoub Yassin Dahab said the South Sudanese nationals are in detention in El Roemi, El Jedidiah, and Ein El Zara – for having entered the country illegally.

Yassin said the young migrants seeking the risky sea journey to Europe, are awaiting deportation due to a lack of travel documents.

The migrants aged between 12 and 30 years have been detained for more than three years in Tripoli, Libya.

Responding to the appeal, the Deputy Minister of Foreign Affairs of South Sudan Deng Dau Deng says they will solve the issue through diplomatic ways.

“Our embassies in Cairo and Khartoum will be involved and we have asked them to follow up with the embassies of Libya in those cities,” said Deng.

“The situation in Libya is known to all of us and we are working hard to reach our South Sudanese in Libya,

“The government of South Sudan is very committed to seeing to it that their safety and well-being will be discussed using our available avenues, diplomatic avenues between us and Libya, and will do this through our diplomatic means.”

Last year, the Ministry of Foreign Affairs told the press in Juba that efforts were underway to convince Libyan authorities to release the detainees.

Libya is one of the main departure points for African migrants who seek asylum mainly in Italy and Spain.