Panafrican News Agency

4th Preparatory Committee meeting for reconciliation conference in Libya ends

Tripoli, Libya (PANA)- The fourth ordinary meeting of the preparatory committee for the inclusive conference on national reconciliation in Libya ended on Monday in Zouara, 120 km west of Tripoli.

The two-day meeting discussed a number of organisational issues relating to the committee's working mechanism, with a view to holding the conference scheduled for the end of April in the central city of Sirte.

The closing session was chaired by the deputy chairman of the Presidential Council, Abdallah al-Lafi, who is in charge of reconciliation at the Presidential Council.

Among those present were the Special Representative of the UN Secretary-General, Abdoulaye Bathily, and the Congolese Minister of Foreign Affairs, Jean-Claude Gakosso, whose country chairs the African Union High-Level Committee on Libyan Affairs.

Mr al-Lafi stressed the will of the Presidential Council to ensure the success of the national reconciliation dossier by holding the conference and obtaining justice, putting an end to division and realising the aspirations of the people by completing the electoral rights.

For his part, Mr Bathily stressed that achieving national reconciliation requires continuous efforts after years of conflict and division. They should be guided by the cases of other countries that have gone through and overcome the same crises.

He said the Sirte conference would be a decisive point in this direction, stressing that political leaders are those who bear the primary responsibility for the success of this work, adding that military leaders also play a major role in the success of reconciliation.

-0- PANA BY/JSG/BBA/MA 16Jan2024