On Thursday, the Speaker of the Libyan Parliament, Ageela Saleh held talks with German Ambassador, Michael Ohnmacht in Benghazi.
In a statement, the Parliament’s media office said that they discussed the latest political developments in Libya. The two also affirmed their support for the efforts of the Special Representative of the UN Secretary-General to Libya, and Head of the United Nations Support Mission in Libya (UNSMIL), Abdoulaye Bathily. This is to unify the international community’s efforts to find a comprehensive way out of the decade-long crisis.
Ohnmacht called on the Libyan Parliament, the High Council of State (HCS), and all active institutions in the country, to “respond to the aspirations of the people, and to quickly put in place the constitutional framework for organizing the elections.” He also stressed the need for everyone to assume responsibility.
He stated that Germany sought to ensure peace and stability in Libya, and its role as a good neighbour, capable of fulfilling its obligations under international law.
On Monday, Ohnmacht and his accompanying delegation visited the city of Benghazi, where they met with the Commander-in-Chief of the Libyan National Army (LNA), Field Marshal Khalifa, and the Municipality Mayor Saqr Bojwari.
Last month, the German diplomat reiterated his belief that “all the evidence shows that there will be negative repercussions if the dispute continues between the Libyan parties, over the constitutional basis for the elections.”
Ohnmacht reiterated Berlin and the EU’s calls for the immediate withdrawal of all foreign forces and mercenaries from Libya. He noted that the “actual removal of those foreign forces is ultimately related to the Libyans themselves,” stressing his unwavering support for the 5+5 Joint Military Commission (JMC) with regard to the formation of “technical support groups to classify the armed groups.”
The German Ambassador highlighted the outcomes of the recent meeting of the security working group of the Berlin process. These focused on the need to disarm, demobilize, and reintegrate armed groups, stressing that “the solution to the crisis in Libya must be peaceful.”