On Wednesday, the Deputy Head of Libya’s Presidential Council (PC), Abdullah Al-Lafi held a meeting with the Chargé d’Affaires of the US Embassy, Leslie Ordeman in Tunisia.
They discussed ways to push forward the political process in Libya, and hold national elections based on a consensual constitutional base.
The officials also stressed the importance of the national reconciliation project, to achieve peace and stability in the country.
On his part, Al-Lafi stressed that the Presidential Council “always endeavours to create consensus among all political parties in Libya, support the meetings of the 5 + 5 Joint Military Commission (JMC), and move forward with new steps for achieving the national reconciliation project.”
He stressed the need to draft a consensual constitutional base leading to the long-awaited elections.
In turn, Ordeman affirmed Washington’s support for reconciliation efforts among all political parties. He appreciated the PC’s efforts to promote the national reconciliation project, which is considered “the great and important challenge for holding elections, and achieving the unity of Libya,” according to the statement.
In January, the Head of Libya’s Presidential Council, Mohamed Al-Mnifi kicked off the preparatory meeting for the National Reconciliation Conference in Libya.
The event was attended by Representatives of the African Union, a number of foreign ambassadors, members of the Libyan Parliament, the High Council of State (HCS), tribal Sheikhs, and notables from various regions of Libya.
The opening ceremony witnessed speeches by the Chairman of the African Union, Senegalese President Macky Sall, the Head of the African Union (AU) High-Level Committee on Libya, Denis Sassou N’Guesso, the Chairman of the AU Commission, Moussa Faki, and the Secretary-General of the Arab League, Ahmed Aboul-Gheit.
President Sall affirmed the African Union’s “support for the Presidential Council’s initiative to achieve reconciliation in Libya, and support for any comprehensive solution to the prolonged crisis.”
In turn, Faki affirmed that the “national reconciliation file constitutes the main step toward elections in Libya.”
During the preparatory meeting for the National Reconciliation Conference in Libya, Faki said, “We will always be with Libya, which has a pioneering role in establishing the African Union. The AU will be grief-stricken if the presence of foreign forces continues on Libyan territory.”
He added that “the way to solve the crisis is through national reconciliation, not sharing positions and power.”
Libya has been in chaos since a NATO-backed uprising toppled longtime leader Muammar 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, and the refusal of Prime Minister Abdel-Hamid 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.
