AU planning inter-Libya reconciliation forum after Brazzaville summit

Three African presidents were in Brazzaville, capital of Republic of Congo on Thursday when the 8th meeting of the African Union High Level Committee on Libya was held.

Host president Denis Sassou-Nguesso was joined by his Djibouti counterpart Ismail Omar Guelleh and Mohamed Ould Ghazouani of Mauritania. The AU chief Moussa Faki Mahamat was also in attendance along with other government reps.

The AU chief said the summit had resolved to convene an Inter-Libyan Reconciliation Conference, in consultation with Libyan parties, neighbouring countries and the United Nations.

“The 11-member Committee, chaired by Pres Sassou Nguesso, also agreed to establish a Preparatory Committee for the AU Inter-Libyan Forum, which will be open to all parties to the Libyan conflict, including tribal leaders, women, youth & other #Libyan political & social actors,” Mahamat said on Twitter.

1/3: Excellent meeting of The AU High Level Committee on #Libya in #Brazzaville today. We agreed on modalities for preparations for the AU to convene an Inter-Libyan Reconciliation Conference, in consultation with Libyan parties, neighbouring countries and the United Nations. pic.twitter.com/v35pALglUS

— Moussa Faki Mahamat (@AUC_MoussaFaki) January 30, 2020

The Committee, the AU chief added had condemned the continued external interference in #Libya despite commitments made in Berlin and insisted on all parties to strictly comply with the UN Security Council arms embargo on Libya & called on the UN Security Council to apply sanctions on violators.

The two waring factions, internationally recognized Fayez Al-Sarraj and rebel leader Khalifa Hafter were absent at the opening of the proceedings. The meeting took place ten days after the conference in Berlin. It was attended by Sassou and Mahamat.

According to the Congolese Presidency, the meeting was aimed at finding an effective resolution of the Libyan crisis as recommended by the last conference in Berlin.

Egyptian president and current AU President was represented as was South Africa’s Cyril Ramaphosa whose Foreign Affairs Minister Naledi Pendor was in attendance. UN representative for Libya, Ghassan Salamé was also present.