The German capital, Berlin, hosted on Monday evening an international conference organized by Germany and the UN via the internet to discuss a political settlement to the Libyan crisis.
The Secretary-General of the United Nations, António Guterres, affirmed that the future of Libya is at stake, calling on the Libyan parties to shoulder their responsibility for a permanent ceasefire and to contribute to the political dialogue facilitated by the United Nations, noting that recent developments represent a rare opportunity to make real progress in the search for peace and stability in Libya.
At the outset of the conference, Guterres appealed to encourage and support peace efforts in Libya, and to adhere to the outcomes of the Berlin Conference, which include the full and unconditional implementation of the arms embargo, stressing that foreign shipments of weapons and other forms of military support be halted immediately.
Guterres called on the international community to support Libya so that it regains its ability to provide basic services and security to citizens whose living conditions have deteriorated as a result of conflict, mismanagement and rampant corruption, pointing to the importance of the international financial review launched by the UN mission to create confidence and transparency for Libyan resources.
He indicated that one million Libyans need humanitarian aid after the displacement of more than 425,000 people from their homes due to the conflict.
He also called for the immediate and unconditional lifting of the blockade imposed on oil production and export, the dismantling of human trafficking networks and the release of refugees and migrants detained in inhumane conditions.
Guterres called for the necessity of stopping the violations of human rights and not with impunity, commenting on the issue of mass graves discovered in Tarhuna last June.
Cautious German Optimism
Germany expressed “cautious optimism” about the possibility of resolving the conflict in Libya. After his co-chairing the conference, Foreign Minister Heiko Maas said that the situation in Libya is subject to improvement, and the international community must seize the opportunity.
“There is reason for cautious optimism – we are seeing increasing signs of a shift from military logic to political logic,” the minister added.
A Perfect Opportunity
For his part, the Egyptian Foreign Minister Sameh Shoukry said that the international community faces “an ideal opportunity to reach a political settlement that takes into account all political, security, economic and social aspects of the Libyan crisis.”
During his participation in the online conference, Shoukry added that the political settlement must take into account “the fair distribution of power and wealth, end any foreign interference, and eliminate the presence of terrorists, mercenaries and foreign forces on Libyan soil.”
Shoukry demanded that the will of states be translated to implement all the recommendations of the Berlin Conference, and to turn them into concrete measures and push the Libyan parties to respect the Berlin outcomes.
The minister expressed his hope that Egypt will not reach a stage in which it is forced to protect its interests and national security as it sees fit.
UK’s Support
Meanwhile, British Foreign Minister Dominic Raab confirmed his support for the Secretary-General of the United Nations, Antonio Guterres, and the German Foreign Minister, Heiko Maas, to help Libya chart a path towards peace.
Dominic Raab added, in a tweet, that the participants in the international and international conference in Berlin agreed to support Libya to be able to achieve peace, and stressed that “the Libya talks are an important opportunity to do so and I urge all parties to make the most of them.”
