Brussels, 08/01/2016 (Agence Europe) - In Tunis on Friday 8 January, EU High Representative for Foreign Affairs and Security Policy, Federica Mogherini, met the Libyan presidency council to discuss what she described as “concrete ways” of supporting the Libyan people in different fields, including discussions on the humanitarian support we can give to the future govenrment of nationl unity. A budget of €100 million has already been earmarked to this end.
The Libyan presidency council was set up under the inter-Libyan agreement validated in December after months of diplomacy by the international community as the lynchpin of the future government of national unity (see EUROPE 11457). The government might be formed later this month. This at least is what is desired by the United Nations Security Council in a resolution passed on 23 December urging the Libyan authorities to get the national unity government set up within the following 30 days.
The meeting in Tunis on Friday means that Mogherini was the first foreign political leader to have direct contact with the presidency council members. She took advantage of the opportunity to stress that the EU was prepared to considerably boost aid to Libya “from day one when the Government of National Accord works,” as she explained at a pres conference after her meeting with Libyan prime minister-designate, Fayez al-Sarraj. She said the EU had already earmarked a budget of €100 million to this end.
Mogherini said she was “very satisfied with the meeting we just had because for the first time, after so many months, we started discussing concrete ways of supporting the Libyan people.” She mentioned humanitarian aid, rebuilding public institutions and support on security issues. She said that the future government would need to define its action priorities. It is expected that alongside financial aid, the Libyan authorities will request aid for tackling the terrorist organisation Islamic State and controlling immigration. (Original version in French by Jan Kordys)