The acting Foreign Minister of Libya’s Government of National Unity (GNU) met with Danish Foreign Minister Lars Løkke Rasmussen on Friday in Copenhagen. The meeting occurred at the conclusion of the 21st session of the Foreign Ministers of African and Nordic countries.
According to the Libyan Foreign Ministry’s media office, the meeting emphasized the importance of Libyan relations with Scandinavian countries, including Denmark.
Discussions also touched on ways to enhance economic cooperation between the two countries, and an invitation was extended to Danish companies specialising in renewable energy to support development projects in Libya.
Furthermore, the two officials explored the possibility of lifting the ban on Libyan aviation in European airspace and urged Denmark to resume operations of its embassy from the capital, Tripoli.
The meeting also provided an opportunity for both parties to exchange views on various regional and international issues and to discuss the latest developments in the political situation in Libya.
This dialogue marks a significant step towards strengthening bilateral relations and potentially easing travel restrictions for Libyan airlines, enhancing connectivity and economic ties between Libya and Europe.
In January, Denmark’s Defence Ministry announced a review concerning its involvement in the 2011 NATO airstrikes over Libya, particularly regarding incidents that led to the death of 14 civilians.
The Danish Ministry’s recent revelation of its involvement in the 2011 operations, has brought a long-overlooked aspect of the Libyan conflict to light. This groundbreaking admission, a first by any of the ten countries in the NATO coalition, underscores a critical moment in the reassessment of military accountability, and the impacts of international interventions.
The disclosed documents, obtained through freedom of information requests, unveil Denmark’s private acknowledgement in 2012 that its F-16 attacks were connected to civilian casualty reports compiled by the UN, media, and human rights groups. These documents challenge the previous narrative of precision and minimal civilian impact, which often accompanies narratives of modern aerial warfare.
Two notable incidents highlighted are the airstrike on Surman, which claimed 12 civilian lives, including children, and another in Sirte, resulting in two casualties. These incidents have sparked debates about the proportionality and legitimacy of targets, with NATO maintaining at the time that these were “legitimate military targets.”
