On Thursday, the US Defense Secretary, Lloyd Austin and his Italian counterpart, Lorenzo Guerini discussed the Libyan crisis during a meeting held in Washington.
The Pentagon said in a statement that the ministers discussed important issues affecting the Mediterranean region, and Africa. As well as exchanged views on how the United States and Italy can increase defence cooperation activities in Africa.
They also discussed defence industrial cooperation, and Italy’s broad contributions to international security, including in Kosovo, Libya, Romania, Niger, Djibouti, Lebanon, and many other locations in Europe and Africa.
Earlier, Guerini said he sought an applicable solution which directs Libya towards institutional, political, economic, and internal security normalization. He made the remarks during talks with Qatar’s Deputy Prime Minister and Minister of State for Defense Affairs, Khalid bin Muhammad Al-Attiyah.
Foreign Minister, Luigi Di Maio and his Emirati counterpart, Abdullah bin Zayed discussed developments in the political process in Libya on the sidelines of the G20 in Bali.
Notably, the US Ambassador to Libya, Richard Norland stated that Washington supports the efforts of the African Union, currently chaired by Congo Brazzaville, to resolve the Libyan crisis.
Norland met with President Sassou N’Guesso, Chairman of the African Union High-Level Committee on Libya on Friday.
The US Embassy said in a statement that Washington is “supportive of efforts by Libya and its international partners to build a unified and inclusive government, that can both secure the country, and meet the economic and humanitarian needs of the Libyan people.”
“The United States recognizes President Sassou’s leadership and continued efforts in search of a peaceful resolution to the crisis in Libya, and his work to resolve conflicts within the Great Lakes Region and on the African continent at large,” the statement added.