During a speech on foreign policy at the ‘Konrad Adenauer Foundation’, German Chancellor Angela Merkel said that Libya would not stabilize unless a ceasefire agreement was reached.
Merkel reiterated the need for a ceasefire and the resumption of political talks to settle the crisis. She underlined that Africa and developments in Libya would remain important topics for Berlin during its six-month EU presidency starting July.
“Developments in Libya in recent weeks have shown that there is a chance for stability in the country, only if the parties obey the ceasefire plan brokered by the UN and return to the negotiating table,” she stressed.
In her efforts to find a solution for war-torn Libya, Merkel hosted an international peace conference in Berlin on 19 January to support the UN’s efforts in the North African nation.
At the end of the Berlin Conference, participants issued a final statement calling for the strengthening of a truce in Libya and to work constructively within the framework of a Joint Military Commission (the “5 + 5”) to achieve a ceasefire in the country.
They also called for an end to foreign interference and the formation of a unified Libyan military, in addition to implementing the UN arms embargo.
Oil rich Libya has been marred in chaos since the ouster and killing of Muammar Gaddafi in 2011, with two rival authorities and a multitude of armed groups vying for control of the country.
The country’s internationally recognized government is based in Tripoli, while Khalifa Haftar, the commander of the Libyan National Army, is supported by a parallel administration based in the east.