Egypt, Tunisia, and Algeria convened in a trilateral meeting in Cairo, issuing a strong call for all Libyan parties to enact an immediate cessation of escalation and to proceed with simultaneous parliamentary and presidential elections.
The Egyptian Foreign Ministry subsequently released a joint statement, highlighting “the urgent need to reach a resolution to the Libyan crisis and end the state of political division, to avoid further escalation, violence, terrorism, and the widening scope of conflict.”
The meeting saw the participation of Egyptian Foreign Minister Badr Abdelatty, Tunisian Foreign Minister Mohamed Ali Nafti, and Algerian Foreign Minister Ahmed Attaf, as part of an effort to reactivate a tripartite neighborhood coordination mechanism that had been dormant since 2019.
Given the concerning developments and the recent security situation in Tripoli, the ministers reiterated their appeal for maximum restraint and immediate de-escalation from all involved Libyan parties, prioritizing the safety and well-being of the Libyan people.
The joint statement emphasized the critical importance of advancing Libya’s political process through the unification of its institutions and the holding of concurrent parliamentary and presidential elections.
At the time of this news, there had been no immediate response from any Libyan factions to the statement issued following the trilateral meeting.
The reactivation of this tripartite mechanism among Libya’s neighboring countries underscores their collective dedication to fostering peace and stability within the nation.
The ministers agreed to a schedule of regular meetings, with Algeria set to host the next, followed by Tunisia, all before the end of the current year.
This diplomatic push comes nearly two weeks after a surge in security tensions and armed clashes in Libya’s capital, Tripoli, involving forces of the Government of National Unity and other armed groups, alongside political unrest manifested in both pro- and anti-government protests.
Libya has been politically fractured since 2022, with two rival administrations: the internationally recognized government of Dbeibeh in Tripoli and a parallel government under Osama Hammad in Benghazi, backed by the eastern parliament.
The ongoing stalemate in UN-led efforts to conduct national elections continues to prolong the oil-rich country’s decade of conflict and instability.
