Foreign Minister Evarist Bartolo will visit Libya on Thursday for talks which will focus on migration.

In a statement, the Foreign Ministry said the Libyan coastguard this year up to the end of July had rescued some 6,265 persons, of whom half would otherwise have drowned or ended up in Malta's search and rescue zone. 

The minister is also expected to discuss the situation in Libya and bilateral relations. 

The Libyan prime minister was in Malta for talks with Prime Minister Robert Abela early last month, continuing talks he had with Abela in Tripoli a few weeks previously.