THE BERLIN SUMMIT ON LIBYA EAST

A LITTLE STEP FORWARD

The document calls for a "permanent cease-fire" in Libya, to "refrain from any interference in the armed conflict" and to relaunch the "political process" shattered by the Marshal's attack on Tripoli in April 2019 dissident Khalifa Haftar .

Finally, respecting the UN arms embargo, no longer interfering in Libya's internal affairs, this is what the 11 leaders participating in the Berlin conference finally promised. The important thing for Angela Merkel was to finally speak with one voice to support the precarious truce between the two opposing forces in Libya: "We have received the commitment of all participants, they will no longer provide any support to Libya, and should also stop all operations while the ceasefire lasts. Said the Chancellor.

But it is indeed "a small step forward" for Germany, "a very useful conference" for Russia.

"For a sustainable cease-fire"

Fayez al-Sarraj, the head of the government of national unity recognized by the UN in Tripoli, and his rival who controls the eastern Libyan, Marshal Khalifa Haftar, are fighting to take effective control of this oil-rich country and in gas.

If they have not met physically, the two Libyan headliners present in Berlin, Faïez Sarraj, the head of government of "national agreement" (GAN) based in Tripoli, and Khalifa Haftar based in the region of Benghazi ( est), they were both present in Berlin.

Marshal Haftar met Emmanuel Macron who is concerned about the dispatch of pro-Turkish Syrian militiamen and Turkish soldiers in support of Fayez al-Sarraj whom Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan has also met.

A new military committee »

The two rivals, however, agreed to form a committee to work in the coming days in Geneva to establish a permanent ceasefire, as explained by the head of Russian diplomacy, Sergei Lavrov:

"The new military committee, made up of five representatives from Sarraj and Haftar, will develop, under the supervision of the United Nations, concrete confidence-building measures that will make the ceasefire sustainable. "

The conflict ravaging Libya

Libya has never been able to find stability since the death of General Gaddafi in 2011. In the past nine months, some 280 civilians and more than 2,000 combatants have been killed, according to the UN. Nearly 150,000 Libyans have been forced to flee the fighting.

Between the recent arrival on the ground of Turkish soldiers, the suspected presence of Russian mercenaries and the continuous influx of weapons delivered by several states, the international community fears that the conflict will escalate in this country plunged into chaos since 2011.

No politician has managed to take control of the country since the fall of Muammar Gaddafi in 2011.

Two men go to war: Marshal Haftar, the head of the "Libyan National Army" (ANL) controls the east of the country and part of southern Libya.

Supported by Egypt and the allies of Saudi Arabia, it has been trying for months to seize Tripoli, in order to dislodge Fayez al-Sarraj, the Prime Minister recognized by the UN.

On the ground, clashes between the two camps are reported almost daily. And the Haftar camp has blocked Libyan oil exports , the country's only real source of income, on the eve of the Berlin summit.

In this context, Fayez al-Sarraj asked Berlin to send an "international military force" under the aegis of the UN to his country.

Several leaders, including heads of government from Italy and the UK, have said they are open to the idea of ​​sending an international mission, or even a force, to help guarantee a cease-fire.

The number one objective of this summit under the aegis of the UN was to put an end to multiple foreign interference in this state where the clashes are fueled by appetites around its large oil reserves, regional political rivalries and games influence. And relaunch the peace process to prevent Libya from becoming a "second Syria". Objective met even if uncertainties remain.

"We had no illusions about the difficulty of the path we have embarked on," admitted Angela Merkel.