Chad and the US are working towards Libyan stability. This came in a statement by the Chadian Presidency following Mahamat Déby’s reception of Ambassador Richard Norland in the capital, N’Djamena, on Friday evening.
The Chadian Presidency stated that the United States (US) Ambassador’s visit came as part of Washington’s promises to support Libya’s efforts to establish peace and turn the page on the war that impeded the development process.
It added that completing the formation of a broad-based Libyan government that can meet the needs of the Libyan people is a goal, supported by the US, which cannot be achieved without taking into account the proposals of Libya’s neighbouring countries.
The meeting focused on supporting the United Nations (UN) roadmap for holding presidential and legislative elections in Libya by the end of the year.
During the talks, the US Ambassador expressed concern about the continuing violence in Sudan, which could undermine efforts to restore peace in Libya.
The statement concluded that the continuation of wars in neighbouring countries negatively affects development goals in Chad and destabilizes security and stability there.
On Thursday, US Envoy to Libya held talks with Mohamed A. Ib Almadani, Libya’s Ambassador to Chad, and US Ambassador to Chad, Alex Laskaris. They discussed “regional cooperation on Libya’s border security and economic development,” according to a statement by the US Embassy in Libya.
“I look forward to my consultations today and tomorrow with Chadian officials,” the Embassy quoted Norland as saying via Twitter.
In light of the ongoing conflict in Sudan, Norland has been meeting with multiple African officials recently in an effort to curb the spread of violence into Libya.
Libya has been in chaos since a NATO-backed uprising toppled longtime leader Moammar Gaddafi in 2011. The county has for years been split between rival administrations, each backed by rogue militias and foreign governments.
The current stalemate grew out of the failure to hold elections in December 2021, and the refusal of Prime Minister Abdelhamid Dbaiba, who is leading the transitional government, to step down. In response, the country’s eastern-based Parliament appointed a rival Prime Minister, Fathi Bashagha, who has for months sought to install his government in Tripoli.