Swiss repeat backing for political solution in Libya

It's been 10 years since a popular uprising in Libya started the process that would lead to the downfall of Muammar Ghadaffi. Keystone / Str

Switzerland co-hosted on Wednesday the latest meeting of an international follow-up committee on Libya. Foreign Minister Ignazio Cassis stressed the importance of elections to be held in the country in December.

“The holding of free and fair elections in December this year will be the next crucial step. Only a government democratically elected by the Libyan people will enable real reforms and a sustainable reunification of institutions,” Cassis said.

The international follow-up committee is currently co-chaired by Switzerland and the United Nations. It is due to meet at ministerial level in Berlin on June 23, for a second time after a first meeting in January 2020. 

The so-called Berlin process aims to achieve a permanent ceasefire in the north African country. “Its objective is to ensure international coherence in creating the conditions necessary for intra-Libyan dialogue on peace,” the Swiss foreign ministry writes.

Earlier this year, the Libyan Political Dialogue Forum, representing various sides in the Libyan conflict, met in Switzerland and elected a transitional authority, tasked with preparing the elections later this year. 

The meeting on Wednesday was attended by the foreign minister of this provisional Libyan government, Najla al-Mangoush.

Libya has been highly unstable since a NATO-backed intervention ended Muammar Gaddafi’s four-decade rule in 2011. Since 2014 the country has been split between warring administrations in the west and east, backed by foreign powers.

The main warring factions signed a ceasefire agreement last October in Geneva, but observers say a lasting end to the violence needs wider agreement among myriad armed militias and the outside powers that support them.