Settling crisis, holding scheduled polls, ending interference: Egypt's messages during Libya Stabilization Conference

CAIRO – 22 October 2021: Egypt has been among the main attendees at the Libya Stabilization Conference held on Thursday in Tripoli to mobilize international efforts ahead as Libyans gear up for elections scheduled for December.

Egypt’s Foreign Minister Sameh Shoukry has attended the conference and held meetings with top Libyan officials to highlight the need for holding elections on time, settling the political crisis in Libya and ending foreign troops’ existence.

Egypt Today displays Egypt’s messages during the conference and the meetings on its sidelines:

Meeting with PM Dbeibah

On the sidelines of the conference, Shoukry met with Libyan Prime Minister and head of the Government of National Unity (GNU) Abdul-Hamid El-Dbeibah, during which he expressed Egypt’s messages:

- Egypt attaches great importance and keenness to support the sisterly Libya within the framework of the bilateral relations.

 

- Egypt is keen to enhance various endeavors seeking to achieve comprehensive political settlement in Libya.
- Egypt is keen to back efforts to implement the roadmap approved by Libyans, ensure the exit of all foreign troops from Libya.

- Egypt’s support in this regard comes to meet the aspirations of the Libyan people toward a better future and to contribute to Libya’s restoration of security, stability, territorial integrity, and sovereignty.

Meeting with Presidency Council chief

Shoukry also met with Chairman of Libya’s Presidential Council Mohammad Menfi and his two deputies, Abdullah Allafi and Musa Al-Kuni.

Shoukry’s messages during the meeting came as follows:

- The entitlement of elections is a basic step for Libya to cross to the future through enabling Libyan people to express their free will.

- Egypt will not spare efforts to support stability in Libya in a way that meets the aspiration of its people toward a unified, secure, and prosperous nation.

 

- Libya is a sisterly country that is connected with Egypt via joint history and destiny.

- The exit of all foreign troops and fighters and mercenaries from Libya is necessary to ensure the restoration of Libya to the Libyan people and achieves stability and sovereignty.

- It is important to follow up on efforts to restore national cohesion and establish social peace.

- This should come in a way that opens the horizons for all Libyan people to work together for construction and development.

Visiting Benghazi, meeting Haftar

Shoukry also visited Benghazi to follow up on the ongoing efforts to prepare the building of the Egyptian consulate in the city.

During the visit, Shoukry met with Libya's eastern strongman Khalifa Haftar.

Shoukry’s messages came as follows:

- Egypt fully supports efforts to achieve security and stability in Libya.

- Shoukry attaches great importance to resolving the Libyan crisis in a way that meets the aspirations of its brotherly peoples toward a better future.

 

Shoukry’s speech during the conference

Delivering a speech at the conference, Shoukry highlighted Egypt’s principles concerning the Libyan issue, and urged holding elections as scheduled in December.

- I thank Libyan Foreign Minister Najla Al-Mangoush for the invitation to this meeting and generous hospitality to continue consultation over Libyan developments.

- We have met in many regional and international events, where we pledged to protect Libyan sovereignty, independence, and regional integrity.

- We have committed to support the efforts of the United Nations aiming to resolve the dispute and division toward restoring Libyan security and stability.

- We are meeting today in Tripoli in an important moment in the age of the Libyan crisis.

- The Libyan brothers are moving with confident steps to implement the roadmap approved by Libyans toward the future through holding presidential and parliamentary polls on 24 December, as scheduled.

- I hail the measures taken by the Libyan Presidential Council and the Government of National Unity to prepare for the elections.

 

- I laud the efforts made by the Libyan Parliament through the issuance of laws of the presidential and parliamentary elections.

- Libya’s High National Election Commission is exerting great efforts to enable holding the elections as scheduled for Libyans to express their free will in choosing their leaders and drawing a future that is far from foreign influence.

- We look forward to the success of this entitlement without marginalization or exclusion as scheduled in a way that befits the history of the Libyan people.

- Egypt has worked to find a common ground between Libyan brothers with the aim of helping them reach a national executive vision that treats the security, economic, and political crisis Libya has suffered since 2011.

- Stability has indispensable requirements starting with stopping violence and escalation, building peace bridges, opening horizons to achieve comprehensive national reconciliation.

- This should come in a way that ensures the sustainability of social peace and the protection of national identity and texture in Libya. This is the path Egypt attaches great importance.

- It is necessary to attach great importance to fair distribution of resources to achieve sustainable development across Libya and boost economy.

- Egypt continues its efforts to coordinate with the US and the European Union within the chairmanship of the economic working group emanating from the Berlin conference track.

- This comes with the aim of implementing the economic reform agenda to ensure optimal utilization of Libya's resources to meet the hopes of its people.

- We affirm the inevitability of dealing with the main problem that stands in the way of Libya’s restoration of its sovereignty and unity, represented in the presence of foreign forces, mercenaries and foreign fighters on its territory.

- This negatively affects the national security of Libya in particular, and the security of its Arab and African neighboring countries.

- There is no room to talk about achieving stability in Libya honestly and seriously except by fully implementing what was stipulated in Security Council Resolution No. 2570, and the internationally and regionally agreed outcomes issued by the Berlin Conference II, the League of Arab States, the African Union, and Libya’s neighboring countries regarding the withdrawal of all foreign forces, mercenaries and fighters without exception.

- This responds to the desire and demand of the Libyan people, which will provide a real opportunity to build and develop Libyan self-capacities.

- I renew to you Egypt's readiness to provide all means of support to the brothers in Libya in this field and we seek concerted efforts among attendees today to reach a consensus to achieve the following:

* First: Defining tools for implementing and monitoring the completion of the exit of all foreign forces, mercenaries and foreign fighters from Libya within a clear time frame.

* Second: Implementation of all provisions of the ceasefire agreement, including what was stipulated regarding freezing the work of military agreements.

* Third: Developing appropriate programs for disarmament of elements involved in armed groups, and rehabilitation of those who are fit.

* Fourth: The international community has to play its role in holding parties seeking to evade their obligations and circumvent the international decisions related to the holding of elections in Libya and the exit of all foreign forces and mercenaries from its lands accountable.

- I assure you once again that Egypt has been and will continue to support the Libyan people and the ongoing international and regional efforts to achieve their aspirations and end their crisis.

- Egypt’s President Abdel Fattah El-Sisi has been keen to attach importance to the situation in Libya by participating in all events concerned with the crisis, and by meeting various political and social forces and tribal leaders in order to contribute towards Libya’s restoration of its stability, territorial integrity and sovereignty, and the preservation of its capabilities.

- This is driven by the bonds of dialogue that bind the two brotherly peoples.

-  Be confident that Egypt will be supportive to youyou’re your security to prioritize Libya’s supreme interest and legitimate aspirations in a better future.

- I assure you that you have brothers in Egypt who are keen on your progress and who welcome to transfer their experiences and extend a helping hand in all fields.

- I renew the call to all actors inside and outside Libya to act responsibly to get Libya out of its crisis and alleviate the suffering of its brotherly people.

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