On Tuesday, Deputy Head of the Libyan Presidential Council, Mousa Al-Koni said that holding Presidential elections is a priority, in order to establish the pillars of a stable state.
These remarks came during a meeting held with the European Union’s Ambassador to Libya, José Sabadell, and the Head of EU Border Assistance Mission (EUBAM) in Libya.
During the talks, Al-Koni discussed various issues related to political and economic affairs, illegal migration, and the situation in neighbouring countries, particularly Sudan. The discussion took place at the Presidential Council’s headquarters in Tripoli, according to the Council’s press office.
During the meeting, Sabadell reaffirmed the EU’s ongoing commitment to support Libya until successful electoral milestones leading to stability are achieved. He also stressed that this support is “carried out in coordination with the Arab League, the African Union, and the United Nations,” hinting at the collective efforts of the ‘Troika’ group. This group, established in 2018, brings together the three, alongside the United Nations to work towards a common goal of stability in Libya.
In the same meeting, Natalina Cea, Head of EUBAM, praised the ‘One Sahara’ initiative’, a regional project designed by the European Union to coordinate cross-border cooperation in the Sahel region. This includes states such as Burkina Faso, Chad, Libya, Mali, Mauritania, and Niger.
The initiative arose from the EU’s regional coordination momentum and EUBAM, leading to “promising” results in the latest meeting in Nouakchott, Mauritania, on 10-11 May 2023. Italy may play a significant role in the partnership.
Cea applauded Al-Koni’s vision that the initiative “can act as a geopolitical and economic space, transforming the shared borders between the region’s countries into an area of developmental growth contributing to stability.” This conference, supported by the European Union, brought together key stakeholders to discuss the potential of border areas as catalysts for regional development and stability.
By showcasing the EU’s steadfast support for Libya’s journey towards stability and its commendation for initiatives like ‘One Sahara,’ these discussions highlight the importance of international cooperation in ensuring regional development and security.