Following years of civil war, and months of intense fighting that threaten to divide Libya and disrupt the security of its neighbours, Egypt on Saturday has put forward a plan to stop the conflict and reunite the divided country.
Supported by the overly ambitious Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan, who plans to exert influence on another Arab country in a campaign apparently financed by the Qataris, the beleaguered government of Fayez Al Sarraj, which is allied with extremist militias and groups of foreign mercenaries, has been locked in a war against the Libyan National Army. Led by Khalifa Haftar, the army is supported by most Arab countries which have been pushing for a peaceful settlement and a power-sharing agreement for the past few years.
The latest fighting around Tripoli has prompted the Arab world’s largest country, Egypt, to call for another ceasefire and a new political deal.
The onus is now on those who support Al Sarraj and his militias to heed the voice of reason for the sake of the Libyan people and the preservation of the country’s territorial integrity, stability and future.
The Egyptian initiative, announced by President Abdul Fattah Al Sissi following a meeting with the army’s commander Haftar and the speaker of the Libyan parliament Aguilla Saleh, calls for a ceasefire starting Monday, a United Nations-supervised election of a Libyan presidential council and drafting a constitutional declaration to pave the way for new elections. The plan also calls for the disarming of militias and the exit of all foreign fighters, mostly brought in by Turkey from Syria to help the Al Sarraj government take control of the capital and key areas around it.
The Arab world and several international players have welcomed the Egyptian initiative as it offers a way out of the Libyan abyss. In a statement, the UAE said it “stands with all efforts that seek an immediate end to the fighting in Libya, and return to the political track led by the United Nations in a manner that guarantees Libya’s sovereignty away from all external interference”. Foreign ministries of Saudi Arabia, Kuwait and Bahrain issued similar statements.
The onus is now on those who support Al Sarraj and his militias to heed the voice of reason for the sake of the Libyan people and the preservation of the country’s territorial integrity, stability and future.
It is also the responsibility of the international community to ensure that Turkey withdraws its troops, planes and mercenaries from Libya and stop its interference in the internal affairs of the Arab country. Europe’s silence on Erdogan’s actions has been deafening. The EU has a moral duty and an interest to end the Libyan conflict. The Egyptian plan represents a unique opportunity for a fair and lasting settlement.
