Egypt to establish consulate southern Libya, may operate flights to Sabha airport

CAIRO – 24 December 2020: The delegation of southern Libyan cities revealed Wednesday that Egypt intends to establish a consulate in the Libyan south, and that it will examine operating flights between Egyptian airports and Sabha International Airport.

The Libyan delegation – comprising 75 members – concluded its two-day visit to Cairo in the evening of Wednesday issuing a communiqué before departure.  

The Libyan leaders praised Egypt's support to efforts aimed at preserving the unity, stability, security, and territorial integrity of Libya, while achieving a comprehensive solution to the civil war crisis in the country through an inclusive political process.

"[We express] our complete support to the joint military commission and to implementations of all terms of the ceasefire agreement, especially expelling the mercenaries and foreign fighters from the Libyan soil," the communiqué indicated.

The delegation also stressed "the importance of tackling security problems, such as controlling borders, fighting smuggling operations and illegal immigration," as well as "building national institutions and reinforcing their role in fighting terrorism."

"We praise Egypt’s commitment to facilitating the tough conditions, lived by Libyans, especially through its development approach in the educational, security, health, infrastructure, services, media, and other sectors," the communiqué concluded.

The Egyptian National Commission on Libya received on Tuesday a delegation of the representatives of south Libyan cities to examine developments on the Libyan scene and possibilities of resolving the crisis in a way that expands the contribution of Libyans themselves in the process.

The meeting is held under the auspices of Egyptian President Abdel Fatah al-Sisi in order to get acquainted with the concerns and aspirations of the people of the neighboring country given that the fate of both states is intertwined.

The Libyan delegation displayed the difficulties faced by Libyans, particularly in the South. Those include the disruption of utilities such as electricity, water, healthcare, and education services. The impact of the turbulence the country is going through is the collapse of the agricultural sector and the standstill of production.

The Egyptian commission asserted the president's eagerness to preserve the territorial integrity of Libya, and to resolve the crisis in a peaceful way while refuting any foreign intervention in the Arab state.

The commission asserted Egypt's support to all efforts aimed at achieving security and stability in the North African country as long as they are inclusive of all factions.

The Libyan delegation expressed appreciation for the Egyptian role and the political leadership in backing endeavors targeted at fulfilling the hopes of the Libyan people.

The delegation demanded that Egypt helps with easing the daily arduous living conditions of Libyans in the south, which is something Egypt is ready to do.

Libya fell into chaos after the assassination of late President Muammar al-Gaddafi amid mass protests against him in 2011 as a civil war has persisted until present.