(Author: Libyan Gazette Editorial Staff)
Arab Foreign Ministers held a meeting in Cairo on Saturday to discuss politically and financially supporting the UN-backed Government of National Accord (GNA).
Prime Minister Fayez al-Sarraj attended the meeting, which also discussed the Palestine-Israeli conflict and Yemen.
The Arab League Council reaffirmed their support and recognition of the GNA as the legitimate governing body in Libya and called on all Arab countries to have a unified Arab stance in order to help the Libyan people overcome the challenges facing their country.
Sarraj called on Arab states to support his country’s efforts in reconstructing civil, military and security institutions.
“It is important to acquire all the necessary tools for all fields in order to rebuild an active country on regional and international levels,” said Sarraj.
Bahraini Foreign Minister Sheikh Khaled bin Ahmad Al Khalifa, who chaired the meeting, also called on all Arab countries to provide political, financial, and moral support to the unity government to help enable Libya to rebuild state institutions and put an end to the acts of violence in the country.
The Foreign Ministers also rejected any military intervention in Libya without the request of the GNA.
The Presidential Council ‘s decision to allow the ministries to start working until they are sworn in earlier in May was approved by council.
In addition, the Foreign Ministers discussed the importance of confronting terrorism head on, and to provide support to the Libyan army in the fight against ISIS, al-Qaeda , Ansar al-Sharia and other terrorist organizations in Libya.
Dr. Anwar bin Mohammed Gargash, the Minister of State for Foreign Affairs in the UAE said, “a solution to the Libyan crisis is one of our priorities. We are working in this direction and stress the importance of intra-Libyan reconciliation, unified Libyan stance that is inclusive of all their country’s regions. We consider that the foundation of this track is a punctual and non-selective accomplishment of the Skhirat agreement.”
Last week Sarraj met with UAE’s Deputy Prime Minister Sheikh Mansour bin Zayed Al Nahyan, where the latter did not pledge his support to Sarraj, rather like Gargash he reaffirmed that the UAE encouraged the unification of Libya under the GNA only after the House of Representatives (HoR) in the east gave their endorsement to the unity government.
Gargash stated that “the top priority would be the Libyan HoR’s endorsement of the GNA so as to avoid multiple legitimacies the negative consequences of which has dominated the Libyan political landscape.”
The Foreign Ministers welcomed the outcome of the International Ministerial meeting for Libya which was held in Vienna on May 16, and stressed the necessity of commitment to the United Nations Resolutions regarding Libya.