Germany to host conference on Libya conflict

Germany and the UN will host a conference on the Libyan peace process today.

The five permanent members of the UN Security Council, Italy, Turkey and the United Arab Emirates will attend the meeting. Having recently established an interim government under Prime Minister Abdul Dbeibeh, the focus of discussions will be on facilitating the upcoming Libyan national election on December 24 and the withdrawal of foreign militants from Libya.

While the peaceful consultations have led to a continued ceasefire from October, a diplomatic stalemate between Russian, Turkey and Italy leaves roughly 20,000 mercenaries still in Libya.

Berlin operates as a middleman, bringing key Libyan and regional officials to the discussion. In the short-term talks are unlikely to result in Russian withdrawals, particularly as Moscow’s forces back right-winged General Khalifa Haftar–the head of the Libya National Army–and his bid for power. Moreover, Italian Prime Minister Mario Draghi’s meeting with Dbeibeh signaled Rome’s intention to support Tripoli as a political and economic partner moving forward and its reluctance to remove troops in the advent of election turmoil. Expect the talks in the medium-term to pressure Turkish, UAE and even Egyptian forces to withdraw, most likely after a government is elected.

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