The Minister of Foreign Affairs and International Cooperation, Najla Al-Mangoush, stressed that the stability of Libya is vital to ensure the holding of elections and the establishment of sovereignty, and that elections are the only way towards democracy in the country.
In a joint press conference with German Foreign Minister Heiko Maas, and the UN Under-Secretary-General for Political Affairs and Peacebuilding, Rosemary DiCarlo, at the conclusion of the “Berlin 2” conference on Libya, the minister said that participation in this conference comes to ensure access to the upcoming elections and achieve stability in the country.
Al-Mangoush indicated that the Libyan people are looking forward to seeing more tangible measures during the results of this conference, explaining that the next stage will focus on the timetable for the withdrawal of foreign forces and the integration of armed groups.
Maas said: “Today we started a new phase with efforts to achieve stability in Libya,” adding that unifying military institutions is one of the most important priorities in Libya.
He stated that the “Berlin 2” conference stressed the need to remove foreign forces and establish a ceasefire, and that the withdrawal of all foreign forces was one of the reasons for holding the conference.
The German minister pointed out that Turkey indicated that there is a difference between mercenaries and foreign regular forces in Libya, stressing the need for the mercenaries to be withdrawn in parallel between the two parties to ensure that no imbalances occur.
Maas considered that today’s meeting is evidence of a serious stance until all foreign forces leave the Libyan territories, noting that his country will provide support to the Libyans to conduct the upcoming elections.
For her part, Rosemary DiCarlo stressed the need to ensure equal participation of all Libyans in the upcoming elections, including the displaced, stressing that the United Nations is committed to supporting the paths of reconciliation and elections in Libya, and that the withdrawal of mercenaries and foreign fighters before the elections is important.
