Josep Borrell, the High Representative of the Union for Foreign Affairs and Security Policy, visited Libya on Tuesday 1 September to continue “EU efforts to advance the political process and resume political dialogue to end the conflict in the country”.
According to the European External Action Service, this was Borrell's first visit to Libya since the beginning of his mandate. He met with Fayez el-Sarraj, the Prime Minister of the Government of National Accord (GNA), in Tripoli, and with Aguila Saleh, the President of the House of Representatives and a close associate of Marshal Khalifa Haftar, in Al Qubah, in the east of the country.
According to the EEAS, the High Representative welcomed the ceasefire agreement of 21 August and stressed the need to implement it promptly and in a sustainable manner (see EUROPE 12544/10). According to the European diplomatic service, Borrell felt “encouraged to hear the determination and commitment from his Libyan interlocutors to work in this direction, and to implement these principles in the framework of the UN-led Berlin process”.
Discussions also focused on the mediation efforts and de-escalation measures required, including the enforcement of the UN arms embargo and EU operation Irini’s role in implementing it.
In the meeting with Sarraj, Borrell also discussed the management of migration and the recent public demonstrations. During his talks with Saleh he received additional updates about the situation in eastern Libya and discussed the prospects for a peaceful resolution of the Libyan conflict.
During his trip, the High Representative also met with Mustafa Sanalla, the Chairman of the National Oil Corporation, to discuss the oil blockade “that urgently requires joint international resolve to prevent a collapse of Libya’s oil sector”, according to the EEAS. (Original version in French by Camille-Cerise Gessant)