In a critical development on the issue of national reconciliation in Libya, Musa Al-Koni, the Deputy in Libya’s Presidential Council, met with Congolese President, Denis Sassou-Nguesso. The meeting aimed to discuss ongoing efforts for national reconciliation in Libya and mechanisms for achieving stability in the war-torn nation.
The interaction took place on the sidelines of the BRICS Summit. A statement from the Libyan Presidential Council mentioned, “Al-Koni met with Congolese President Denis Sassou-Nguesso, who is also the Head of the High-Level Special Committee on Libya. They discussed the procedure for working on national reconciliation, as well as mechanisms for achieving the much-needed stability in Libya, and its repercussions on the region and the entire continent.”
Further elaborating, the statement added that the Congolese President informed Al-Koni of plans for an upcoming visit to Libya. This comes in the context of the role that the African Union (AU) is playing in regard to the situation in 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.
Former French President, Nicolas Sarkozy is set to face trial in 2025 over allegations that he received financial support from the late Libyan leader, Moammar Gaddafi to finance his 2007 presidential campaign.
The trial, scheduled to take place from January to April 2025, promises to reveal explosive evidence of a conspiracy involving the right-wing politician, and the illicit acceptance of funds from the Libyan leader.
Sarkozy, who has been plagued by a series of legal troubles since his single term in office, vehemently denies the allegations. However, these charges represent the most serious accusations against him and have the potential to further damage his reputation.
The 68-year-old has previously been convicted twice, on charges of corruption and influence-peddling in separate cases related to attempts to manipulate a judge, and campaign financing. Despite these convictions, Sarkozy appealed against both judgments.