Messahel renews Algeria’s support for Libya’s national unity government led Mr Al Sarraj

The Minister for Maghreb Affairs, African Union and the League of Arab States Abdelkader Messahel said that Algeria is now striving to prepare a broad-based meeting of the neighborhood countries scheduled for next October in Niger.

“Algeria is endeavoring to clear the way for a meeting of neighboring countries scheduled for next October in Niamey (Niger) for the purpose of ensuring the coordination of actions between these countries in favor of the promotion of peace and stability of the entire region,” said Mr Messahel at the close of an encounter on Wednesday with the Vice President of the Presidential Council of the Libyan national unity government, Moussa al-Kouni at the Algiers International conference Centre “Abdellatif Rahal”.

This meeting was meant to “discuss several issues related to the situation in the region threatened by terrorism, organized crime, drug trafficking and weapons and illegal immigration”, said the Minister.

Referring to his meeting with the Libyan official, Mr Messahel said it was part of the ongoing dialogue between Algeria and Libya on “the political situation in Libya, the modalities of implementation of the political Agreement in this country and as a token of support as neighbor to our Libyan brothers at this sensitive stage».

The minister said he discussed with Mr. el-Kouni the outcome of meetings on the Libyan file held at the UN, including with the ministers of the G 22, which produced “very important” results, marked notably by the declared support for the Presidential Council and the government of national unity, the support for the unity and national sovereignty of Libya and for a political solution within the framework of dialogue and national reconciliation. 

“These results were the subject of an international consensus in line with the main recommendations  put forth by Algeria concerning the vexed Libyan issue,” he added.

For his part, the Libyan official said in a statement after the meeting, that he’d discussed with Mr Messahel “issues of common concern including the current situation in Libya, the implementation of the political agreement, difficulties encountered on the ground and ways to overcome them while highlighting the steadfast position of Algeria internationally, and at the Arab and regional level. 

Mr. el-Kouni also expressed gratitude to Algeria for its “clear-cut position in favor of a political crisis settlement in Libya based on dialogue and for its support to the government and the Libyan people and for the preservation of the country’s territorial integrity”.