AUC chairman presents AU initiative on reconciliation conference on Libya
Tripoli, Libya (PANA) – The chairman of the African Union Commission, Moussa Faki Mahamat, Monday presented the AU initiative on a reconciliation conference in Libya to Fayez al-Sarraj, chairman of the presidential council of the Libyan government of national accord, official sources told PANA here.
The presentation was done when al-Saraj received an African Union delegation in Tripoli.
The delegation comprised included the AU peace and security commissioner Ismail Chargui, commissioner for social affairs Amira Fadhel and the special representative of the chairman of the commission in Libya, Wahida Ayari.
A communiqué issued by the press office of the presidential council quoted AU Commission chairman Moussa Faki Mahamat as saying the decision on Libyan affairs should be Libya.
On Saturday, Mahamat at a meeting of the Quartet on Libya held on the sidelines of the Arab League Summit, confirmed the holding of the national reconciliation conference in Libya due for next July in the Ethiopian capital, Addis Ababa.
This is in accordance with the movement order adopted at the end of the 32nd AU summit in February that includes elections in October 2019.
The communiqué said the meeting with the AU delegation discussed the latest political and security situation in Libya, the latest developments in terms of electoral process and the big national conference to be held by the UN mission this month.
The AU Commission chairman expressed “his joy to visit the Libyan capital Tripoli, reminding the historic role played by Libya on the African continent”, adding that “the African Union position with regard to Libya and its populations, as well as its disapproval of the foreign interventions that curb the situation of the Libyan crisis”.
al-Sarraj warmly welcomed the African delegation, pledging his support to all meetings bringing together the Libyans and the proposed national reconciliation conference.
He also expressed the hope he would be backed by the United Nations by drawing profit from its experience in holding national forum to move forward within an integration framework concerning the Libyan crisis, the press office of the presidential council said.
He also added during the meeting that the time had come and that it was possible to find solution to the current crisis, stating that “everybody should prevail Libya’s interest before any other interest”.
The Libyan official stressed the efforts made to reach consensus and create a positive atmosphere during the meetings to resolve many problems, while criticizing “those who attempt to block the consensus by adopting a hatred speech to fuel the divergences and compromises the peace efforts”.
-0- PANA BY/TBM/MSA/RA 1Apr2019
