UN: Cairo to host Libyan Legal Committee meeting in December

CAIRO - 23 November 2020: The United Nations Support Mission in Libya (UNSMIL) reported, on Sunday, that Cairo will host a meeting of the Legal Committee next December to discuss several constitutional issues.

Director of the Information Office of the United Nations Support Mission in Libya, Jean Alam, confirmed to Egypt Today that the committee will be formed according to the roadmap agreed upon by the Tunis Forum for Dialogue.

Alam denied Cairo would host any meetings of the Libyan Political Dialogue Forum, indicating the Legal Committee will discuss several legal issues, including the constitutional arrangements for the upcoming elections.

Egypt is adopting a strategy of opening up to all Libyan parties supporting a political solution, as part of its support for efforts to defuse the crisis in the country.

On October 11-13, Egypt hosted delegations of the Libyan House of Representatives and the High Council of State under the auspices of the United Nations Support Mission in Libya to discuss constitutional arrangements for the next phase. The two parties agreed that the transitional period should come to an end.

“The permanent phase should be initiated, and that dialogue between the two Councils should continue in order to reach consensus on arrangements that would ensure that the country moves forward. “UNSMIL wrote on twitter saying that it equally appreciates the efforts of both delegations.

On September 28, Egypt hosted inter-Libyan talks in Hurghada city, Red Sea for military and police delegations from the two rivalry parties in eastern and western Libya. 

The talks, which come within the framework of the (5+5) Joint Military Commission talks, tackled the ways of forming a joint force from the conflicting parties to carry out missions that would be declared later to build confidence between the two sides and pave a road to resume the political and economic talks based on the outcomes of Berlin Conference and Cairo Declaration, Sky News Arabia reported.

It has been reported that the meeting also tackled the ways of keeping the cease-fire between the National Libyan Army, led by Field Marshal Khalifa Haftar, and the forces of the Tripoli-based National Accord Government, presided by Fayez al-Saraj. 

Furthermore, the meetings reviewed the future of the oil-rich city of Sirte, where the new government would have taken a headquarters in case the political dialogue between the two parties had succeeded ahead of the Berlin Conference II on Libya that took place on October 5.

Egypt earlier announced an initiative, dubbed the Cairo Declaration, which posits a Libyan-Libyan resolution as a basis for resolving the country’s conflict, drawing on earlier international efforts, including the Berlin conference.

In July, the Egyptian House of Representatives has authorized President Abdel Fattah El-Sisi to “take necessary measures” to protect national security, giving a green light for the president to send troops to Libya.

This came in a closed session on protecting the Egyptian and Libyan national security against terror threats. The session was attended only by the Parliament members and the general secretariat of the House.

Sisi said at a meeting with Libyan tribal chiefs in Egypt that any Egyptian military intervention in Libya may only materialize upon a request by the Libyan people and permission from the Egyptian House.

According to Article 152 of the Egyptian constitution, the state has to seek the Parliament’s approval before declaring war or sending its forces in combat missions. The members attending the session are not authorized to disclose any details of the discussion inside this secret meeting.

During his meeting with the tribal chiefs on July 16, Sisi said Egypt has always stood by a peaceful solution in Libya through encouraging negotiations between Libyan factions. However, it will not stand idly as it watches activities that threaten Egypt’s national security.

“Egypt has the strongest Army in the region and Africa,” the president said, adding that it is, however, wise and does not assail or invade other territories.

He noted that in case the Egyptian forces entered Libya, they will be led by tribal leaders carrying the Libyan flag. Sisi promised that Egypt will intervene "only at the Libyans' request and withdraw upon their order.”

Libya is suffering a severe division between two factions; the Libyan Parliament and the Libyan National Army (LNA) led by Field Marshal Khalifa Haftar in the east and the GNA led by Fayez al-Sarraj. The latter is internationally recognized but is not accepted by the Parliament.

Hundreds were killed in continuous battles between the LNA and the forces of the GNA, over the past year.