Foreign Minister Sameh Shoukry headed on Monday to Algeria to participate in a tripartite ministerial meeting including Tunisia, Egypt, and Algeria to discuss the situation and updates in Libya, Foreign Ministry spokesperson Ahmed Abou Zaid said.
The regular meeting aims to intensify efforts to break the deadlock in Libyan politics and ensure the continuing of its roadmap through holding parliamentary and presidential elections, Abou Zaid noted, emphasising the Egyptian military’s efforts towards unifying the Libyan military.
Abou Zaid added that the meeting also aims to achieve national consensus and maintain peace and security in the country, as well as effectively combat terrorism.
“Shoukry’s periodic participation in the tripartite meeting comes due to Egypt’s special efforts in supporting all efforts aiming to settle Libya’s crisis,” said Abou Zaid
Libya is preparing for parliamentary and presidential elections before the end of 2018, with major challenges in the large North African country that is still split among various political and armed factions.
Since the fall of Muammar Gaddafi, Libya has remained in chaos, as the Islamic State group gained a foothold in Sirte, the birthplace of Gaddafi, before it was recaptured in 2016.
There are three governments and two rival parliaments in the oil-rich country that has been suffering from a financial crisis since 2011 due to clashes between militias and forces loyal to these governments.
Late in 2015, the UN reached an agreement to form a new “unity” government headed by Prime Minister Fayez Sarraj and based in Tripoli, while the other two remain in the eastern cities of Bayda and Benghazi.
Egypt and France back Libyan military commander Khalifa Haftar, based in the east, who leads the Libyan National Army (LNA), which consists of formal army units and militias loyal to him. The LNA has control of Libya’s main oil terminals.
