Egypt working for political solution in Libya

The Egyptian government has taken steps to facilitate a political process in Libya that could end the years-long conflict there, officials in Cairo said ahead of a regional meeting to discuss the Libyan situation.

Egyptian Foreign Minister Sameh Shoukry said on Saturday that Egypt was working for a political solution to fighting in Libya.

The solution, the Egyptian minister added, would be the sole way of putting an end to the conflict.

"A political solution is the only way to resolve the crisis in Libya."

Shoukry said "terrorism will never be fully eradicated in Libya until there is a political solution."

The Egyptian minister was planned to host a meeting in Cairo between foreign ministers from Algeria, Tunisia, Libya and Niger as well as Martin Kobler, the UN Special Representative and head of the United Nations Support Mission in Libya, to discuss the situation in Libya.

Cairo has reportedly hosted meetings between key figures of the conflict in Libya in recent weeks, including one between Khalifa Haftar, the commander of the self-proclaimed Libyan National Army, which is based in eastern Libya, and Fayez al-Sarraj, who serves as the head of the unity government, which is based in the capital, Tripoli, in the west, and enjoys support from the United Nations.

Libya has been grappling with fierce fighting between militia groups and rival governments since strongman Muammar Gaddafi was toppled and killed in 2011, following an intervention by NATO. Repeated attempts by the UN and regional entities have failed to effectively end the disputes between rival administrations.

SS