The African Union’s High-Level Committee on Libya held a milestone signing of the Charter for Peace and National Reconciliation in Addis Ababa on Friday. The event occurred on the sidelines of the 38th AU Summit.
Key Players Gather, While Some Stay Away
Denis Sassou Nguesso, President of the Republic of Congo and Chair of the AU High-Level Committee on Libya, led the ceremony. The signing brought together representatives from the African Union, Regional Economic Communities, the United Nations, the League of Arab States, the Organisation of Islamic Cooperation, and the European Union.
A Libyan delegation of 18 members signed the charter, including member of parliament Miloud Al-Aswad and representatives of Saif al-Islam Gaddafi. However, no representatives from eastern Libya, neither the General Command nor the government appointed by parliament, participated in the signing.
Moussa al-Kouni, Deputy of the Presidential Council, criticised the absence of political leaders from both east and west, stating: "I hold the reluctance of political leaders, east and west, to attend today to sign the National Reconciliation Charter in Addis Ababa, responsible for Libya's delay in its appointment with reconciliation and reunification, as if that was the intention."
Current Political Situation Under Pressure
Libya has been split between competing factions since 2014, following the fall of Muammar Gaddafi’s regime in 2011. The country now wrestles with regional disputes, some connected to settling scores with the former regime, others originating from political division.
The eastern part of Libya is under the control of the Libyan National Army led by Field Marshal Khalifa Haftar, while the Government of National Unity in Tripoli controls the western regions. The Presidential Council, headed by Mohamed al-Menfi, serves as a symbolic head of state but with limited actual power.
Efforts to restore connections took a hit when a minister narrowly escaped an assassination attempt in Tripoli. The European Union condemned the attack on Minister Adel Jumaa, calling for a swift investigation and urging Libyan stakeholders to prioritize dialogue over violence.
International Support for Libya’s Path Forward
Recent measures indicate growing international backing for Libya’s transition. The African Union and Libya signed an agreement to reopen the AU Liaison Office in Tripoli after a 10-year closure, indicating improved security.
The United Nations Support Mission in Libya announced the creation of a consultative committee to draft proposals for national elections.
The European Union welcomed this development, calling it "an important step in the UN-facilitated, Libyan-led political process."
Obstacles Remain: Road of Full Reconciliation
Despite these advances, true reconciliation seems distant. Critics question the charter’s core ideas. Libyan journalist Bashir Zaabia asked, “What do these projects truly mean? Who are they for? How will they work in practice? Who will oversee them? And what guarantees will be given?”
The peace work must address hard questions like reparations. Political activist Suhaila Al-Fallah insisted that “real reconciliation cannot be achieved without telling the truth, redressing harm, compensating victims, and holding those accused of crimes accountable.”
President Sassou Nguesso acknowledged the work ahead in his speech: "Our most ardent wish is that the inter-Libyan reconciliation we celebrate today, here in Addis Ababa, helps to pave the way for the establishment of a single government, a single national army, single sovereign institutions."
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