The bodies of 41 suspected migrants have washed up on a beach in Libya. They were discovered west of the capitol Tripoli yesterday.

It comes as the UN claims more than 10 thousand migrants bound for Europe have died or gone missing in the Mediterranean since 2014.

Later this week, the United Nations member states are meeting in New York to finalise an agreement on the current refugee crises and how to deal with similar emergencies in the future.

Colm O’Gorman, Executive Director of Amnesty International Ireland said: “As time runs out to finalise what could and should be a game-changing agreement, so much hangs in the balance. Millions of refugees around the world are in desperate need – 86% live in low and middle-income countries often ill-equipped to host them, while many of the world’s wealthiest states host the fewest and do the least. This situation is inherently unfair. 

He added: "With more than 150 heads of state and government due to gather at the UN in September to lay the foundations for a new global framework to address this refugee crisis, we should be on the cusp of a historic breakthrough."

"What looms instead is possibly a shameful historic failure, with some states sacrificing refugees’ rights for selfish national interests. But there is still time to step back from the precipice. Together with our millions of supporters around the world, Amnesty International will let our leaders know we won’t accept failure.” 

Since November 2015, UN Secretary General Ban Ki-moon has been calling for a new approach to dealing with large numbers of refugees and migrants.

Earlier this year he called for internationally agreed Compacts on refugees and migrants, a cornerstone of which is a global deal whereby no country should have to take on more than its fair share, and all states should recognise legally-binding responsibilities to fulfill the human rights of people who have been forced to leave their homes due to war or persecution. 

This concept may be in jeopardy as some states want to give the Compact on refugees absolute parity with the Compact on migration. 

“The time for business as usual is over. With wealthy countries not doing nearly enough to host and assist refugees, the responsibility-sharing at the root of the Global Compact is an idea whose time has come. Rich and influential countries must stop making excuses and pull their weight” said O’Gorman.