Libya: Despite presence of Russian mercenaries, Moscow says ready to work with new Libyan leadership

Posted On 9 February 2021

Number of times this article was read : 116

Moscow is prepared for “constructive” work with Libya’s newly selected interim leaders, the Russian foreign ministry said Monday. In a statement it said Russian Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov held a phone call with Abdul Hamid Dbeibah and Mohammad Younes Menfi to congratulate them on their elections Friday to the posts of interim prime minister and interim head to the presidential council respectively.

“Sergei Lavrov reaffirmed Russia’s readiness for constructive engagement with the transitional administration of Libya with a view to overcoming the protracted crisis in that country as soon as possible,” the Russian foreign ministry statement said. Lavrov also noted that Russia will focus on “strengthening cooperation in the interests of further developing the traditionally friendly Russian-Libyan relations”, the statement added.

Conflict-torn Libya embarked Saturday on a new phase of its post-Kadhafi transition after an interim executive was selected to lead the country until December elections following a decade of chaos. Dbeibah and Menfi face the task of trying to reunify the institutions of a state undermined by divisions between the UN-recognised Government of National Accord (GNA) in Tripoli and a rival administration backed by military strongman Khalifa Haftar in the east. Moscow backs Haftar against theGNA in the conflict and has been accused of sending mercenaries of the Wagner Group private military company to join the fight. In December the European Union sanctioned Russia for what Brussels said was Moscow’s destabilising role in the country.

AFP
Other Articles in this Week's Issue<< Tunisia: Five killed by bootleg brew in KasserineSahel: Political life in Chad heats up ahead of October presidential election >>
The North Africa Journal's WhatsApp Group
.

Most Recent Stories from the Region

Sahel: A Primer on the Northern Mali Crisis

Sahel: A Primer on the Northern Mali Crisis

Northern Mali has always been a region of turmoil, and the responsibility for the misery there starts with the central government in Bamako. Violence, social, economic and environmental turmoil has hit the people of the Azawad region hard, deeply affecting the Tuareg,...

Algeria boosts defense budget to tackle cross-border threats

Algeria boosts defense budget to tackle cross-border threats

Algeria’s draft Finance Law for the year 2025 earmarks record spending for its military and defense.  The Ministry of Defense, which oversees the country’s armed forces, will receive more than US$25 billion, an increase of over 10% compared to 2024.  The move is...

Libya’s fragmented military and competition for its control

Libya’s fragmented military and competition for its control

While the world is focused on the crises in the Middle East and Ukraine, a power struggle continues to destabilize Libya, with protagonists competing for the control of the armed forces. Three factions are now at the center of an ongoing struggle over the fate of the...

Written by The North Africa Journal

The North Africa Journal is a leading English-language publication focused on North Africa. The Journal covers primarily the Maghreb region and expands its general coverage to the Sahel, Egypt, and beyond, when events in those regions affect the broader North Africa geography. The Journal does not have any affiliation with any institution and has been independent since its founding in 1996. Our position is to always bring our best analysis of events affecting the region, and remain as neutral as humanly possible. Our coverage is not limited to one single topic, but ranges from economic and political affairs, to security, defense, social and environmental issues. We rely on our full staff analysts and editors to bring you best-in-class analysis. We also work with sister company MEA Risk LLC, to leverage the presence on the ground of a solid network of contributors and experts. Information on MEA Risk can be found at www.MEA-Risk.com.

Pin It on Pinterest

Share This