The work of the “Berlin 2 Conference” on Libya started today in the German capital, Berlin, with the participation of the European Union, the United States, Russia, China, Turkey, the League of Arab States and the African Union.
“We are here today to build on the progress made at the (Berlin 1) conference through the full implementation of the ceasefire agreement and the road map of the Libyan Dialogue Forum, said UN Secretary-General Antonio Guterres. Read also The Libyan unity government looks forward to Morocco’s support for its plan at the Berlin Conference 2 Because of the constitutional referendum, the United Nations mission in Libya was accused of interfering in a sovereign affair It consists of 3 phases.. POLITICO: Macron offered Biden and Erdogan a plan to remove foreign fighters from Libya
Guterres
He called on the UN Secretary-General to address the root causes of instability in Libya, and to hold those responsible for human rights violations accountable there.
Guterres also urged the Libyan government to take the necessary measures to protect detainees and thousands of migrants from violence.
At a joint press conference in Berlin prior to the start of the conference, US Secretary of State Anthony Blinken and German Heiko Maas demanded that elections be held next December, and that all foreign forces should be withdrawn from Libya.
The US Secretary of State said that his country and Germany share the same goals regarding Libya, which are the continuation of the cessation of hostilities, the departure of foreign forces, and the holding of elections on time, and he stressed the importance of Libya’s stability.
Al-Jazeera correspondent stated that the draft statement of the conference will discuss imposing sanctions on the parties that impede the course of the political process in Libya, and holding human rights violators accountable in it. The conference will also discuss the unification of the security and military forces in Libya.
For his part, the Prime Minister of the Government of National Unity in Libya, Abdel Hamid al-Dabaiba, said that his government came to Berlin to renew the commitments made by the participants at the first Berlin Conference, and to agree with the friends of Libya on the best solutions to support the country’s stability, territorial integrity and preservation of national sovereignty.
Dabaiba added – in tweets on Twitter – that uniting the international community and ensuring that the voice of the Libyan people is heard are vital during this important stage in the country’s history, pledging to make all efforts for the stability of Libya, achieve prosperity for its people, and refuse to return to wars and tamper with the capabilities of the state.
The one-day conference will discuss the results of the political process that has been achieved since the 1st Berlin Conference, in particular ending external interference in the conflict.
According to United Nations estimates, about 20,000 foreign mercenaries have been stationed in Libya since December 2020, and the number has not changed significantly. And arms shipments did not stop.
But there is some progress. A ceasefire has been reached, an interim government has been formed, and parliamentary elections are scheduled for December 24.
Al-Jazeera correspondent had reported that the draft statement of the upcoming Berlin conference would call for a coordinated withdrawal of foreign forces from Libya, and to hold human rights violators accountable.
For its part, the German Foreign Ministry said that the conference will discuss the Libyan transitional process since the last conference, and the next stages to impose permanent stability in the situation in Libya.
Earlier, the US special envoy to Libya, Richard Norland, said in a press briefing that his country calls for the departure of foreign forces and mercenaries from Libya, and not to wait until after the elections, noting that Washington is conducting negotiations with the actors in Libya on this.
It is noteworthy that the Berlin 1 conference witnessed the participation of the leaders of many countries, and called at the time for a permanent ceasefire in Libya, and for the imposition of respect for the embargo on the supply of arms to this country.
Libya Stability Initiative
Prior to the start of the conference, Minister of Foreign Affairs in the Government of National Unity, Najla Al-Manqoush, announced that during the conference she would present an initiative called “Libya’s Stability” based on the provisions of the roadmap, which was decided by the Libyan Political Dialogue Forum.
She added that the initiative aims for the Libyan people to take matters into their own hands with the support of the countries that support them, and that it also aims to unify the Libyan army under one command, activate the ceasefire decision, and set a clear timetable for the withdrawal of foreign forces and mercenaries.
The Minister of Foreign Affairs of the Libyan Government of National Unity also said that the “Stability of Libya” initiative will propose the establishment of an international group at the level of foreign ministers led by Libya, and aims to support the Libyan vision for resolving the crisis, explaining that the proposed international group aims to support the Libyan authorities in implementing their security, economic and political plans. .