On Sunday, Egypt’s President Abdel Fattah El Sisi held a telephone conversation with his Mauritanian counterpart, Mohamed Ould Al-Ghazouani, to discuss enhancing bilateral relations, in addition to a number of regional files, especially the situation in Libya, according to Egyptian Presidency Spokesman Bassam Rady.
In a statement, Rady said that both presidents discussed means of strengthening joint bilateral cooperation between the two countries, especially at the military and security levels, and combating terrorism in the Sahel region.
At the level of regional issues, visions were exchanged on the Libyan crisis. Both sides agreed on the need to intensify coordination in this regard, in light of the direct repercussions of the ongoing Libyan crisis on the regional and national security of both countries.
They also stressed their keenness to end the Libyan crisis by reaching a political solution that paves the way for the return of security and stability in this brotherly country.
Rady explained that the two heads of state held the same views regarding the necessity of reaching a peaceful settlement in Libya, in a way that contributes to the elimination of terrorism, preserves the state’s resources and national institutions, as well as prevents foreign interference in internal affairs.
Notably, Egypt is adopting a strategy of opening up to all Libyan parties supporting a political solution, as part of its support for efforts to defuse the crisis in the country.
Egypt earlier announced an initiative, dubbed the Cairo Declaration, which posits a Libyan-Libyan resolution as a basis for resolving the country’s conflict, drawing on earlier international efforts, including the Berlin conference.
On September 22, Egyptian President El Sisi addressed several ongoing topics during the speech he gave at the United Nations’ 75th General Assembly which was held virtually due to the coronavirus pandemic.
President EL Sisi said that his country is committed to a political solution for the current crisis in Libya based on the Skhirat agreement, the Berlin conference and Cairo’s declaration, which set a schedule for establishing a national unity government.
Libya has been in chaos ever since the 2011 overthrow and killing of Dictator Moammar Gaddafi in a NATO-backed uprising, with warring rival administrations battling for power. Since the downfall of Gaddafi, Libya also has become a key route for irregular migration from Africa into Europe, across the Mediterranean Sea.