Conference aims to bring stability: Libya at a crossroads

After the fall of the dictator Gaddafi in 2011, civil war and chaos followed in Libya. Now a democratic change is to take place. Stabilization measures are being discussed today at a conference in Tripoli.

In his speech to the UN General Assembly in New York last month, the chairman of the Libyan Presidential Council invited people to the meeting in Tripoli today. And Mohammed el-Menfi also mentioned the occasion: Libya is at a crossroads. “Libya is currently experiencing a decisive phase: Either we succeed in democratic change through free, fair and transparent elections, the results of which are accepted and lead to stability and growth. Or we fail and return to division and armed conflict.”

After the fall of dictator Muammar al-Gaddafi in 2011, Libya was plunged into civil war and chaos, with countless militias and two governments. In addition: The influence of foreign powers such as Egypt, Turkey and France, some represented by soldiers or mercenaries. A ceasefire has been in place for a year.

Foreign mercenaries should withdraw

This spring, under UN mediation, a unified transitional government was formed to lead the country to elections on December 24th. In addition, the militias are to be disarmed or integrated into an all-Libyan army. About the foreign mercenaries and soldiers, Libyan Foreign Minister Najla al-Manqoush said that their withdrawal was necessary because their constant presence posed a threat not only to Libya but to the entire region.

The 30 or so high-ranking diplomats and ministers from all over the world want to confer on a stabilization program in Libya’s capital Tripoli. For Germany, Niels Annen, Minister of State in the Foreign Office, is taking part. There is a lot to talk about: the withdrawal of foreign fighters had already been decided several times, but there are still 15,000 in the country, including from Turkey and Russia.

The elections are not doing well

It is said that a withdrawal plan will now be presented in Tripoli today. Meanwhile, the elections are not doing well: Originally it was said that both a presidential and a parliamentary election should take place. But it was only a few days ago that parliamentary speaker Abdullah Bilhaj said that the election of the people’s representatives would be decoupled and postponed: “The election of the House of Representatives will take place thirty days after the election of a president for the country has been accepted.”

The fact that the Libyans will elect an all-Libyan president on December 24th – as planned – doubts arise again and again in the country: The respective interests of the conflicting parties are too different. These doubts must now be dispelled at today’s conference in Tripoli. The participants should strengthen the democratization plans and act peacefully on Libya.