Italy offers support to Libya to end the conflict

Libya's Deputy Prime Minister Ahmed Maitig met with the Italian government leadership in Rome to discuss the latest developments in the country. All the senior members of the Italian Government reiterated their support for the inter-Libyan dialogue processes under the supervision of the United Nations, and in particular the Libyan Political Dialogue Forum.

Prime Minister Giuseppe Conte has on several occasions expressed his country's support for a political settlement of the conflict in Libya. Conte met last week with the UN-recognised leader of the Libyan government, Fayez al Serraj. On his Twitter account he described this meeting as "constructive". He also underlined Italy's "full support for the intra-Libyan dialogue towards a peaceful institutional solution in the interest of the Libyan people", in a publication which includes several photos of the meeting.

This time it was the Libyan Deputy Prime Minister who met, once again in Rome, with the Minister of the Interior, Luciana Lamorgese, and the Minister of Foreign Affairs and International Cooperation, Luigi Di Maio. 

Lamorgese explained that "in these months we have had the opportunity to meet regularly, with a dialogue that has always been frank and constructive, strengthening the ties between the two countries", reiterating "the closeness to the Libyan people and the maximum support for the National Accord Government on the path to stabilising Libyan territory".

The minister also stressed that Rome considers peace in Libya to be an important objective and called for "the attention of all international actors, the EU and the Mediterranean States in particular, so that we can all work together for a stable solution, which marks a new phase for all the Libyan people".

"In view of the upcoming elections, Italy confirms that it is attentive and sensitive to the needs and wishes of the Libyan people, based on the privileged historical relationship between the two countries", said Lamorgese.

For his part, the Minister for Foreign Affairs and International Cooperation, Luigi Di Maio, stressed the need to accelerate political dialogue through an inclusive and constructive approach by the actors involved, with the aim of unifying the country's institutions.

He also stressed the need to appoint a new UN Special Envoy for Libya, and called for the ceasefire agreement to be "implemented without hesitation". The Foreign Minister has called for the reopening of the coastal road between Sirte and Misurata and the withdrawal of all foreign fighters and mercenaries.

Di Maio also confirmed Italy's interest in strengthening bilateral economic collaboration through the Italian-Libyan Joint Economic Commission, as well as shared work on security and migration, with the revision of the 2017 bilateral memorandum.