Paris, 12 February 2103:
Today’s international conference in the French capital on Support to Libya stressed the Libyan government’s need to take immediate action on disarmament and border control.
“Much has already been achieved but issues remain,” said French Foreign Minister Laurent Fabius who, with Libyan Foreign Minister Mohamed Abdulaziz, presided over the meeting.
International support for Libya, the French minister said, should include “the rapid deployment of European experts to train Libyan security forces and police and help to rebuild the army, navy and air force,” according to French news organisation France 24.
Abdulaziz said that securing the country’s 6,000 kilometres of borders was integral to the security of the whole Mediterranean region. He also called for “a united front against terrorism”.
The conference was attended by ministers and representatives from Denmark, France, Germany, Italy, Malta, Qatar, Spain, Turkey, the UAE, the UK and the USA as well as the African Union, the Arab Maghreb Union, the EU, the Gulf Cooperation Council, the Arab League and the UN.
The participants agreed that the main challenges at present for Libya were the security situation within the country, the security and management of its borders, the disarmament, demobilisation, disarmament and reintegration of former revolutionaries and ammunition management.
Also discussed were the government’s plans to enhance the rule of law and justice sector. Priorities included the building of judicial capacity and competence, building prosecutorial and criminal investigative capacity, reforming the prison system, strengthening coordination between military and civilian justice systems, promoting transitional justice and national reconciliation, locating and identifying missing persons and building state institutions that respect and promote human rights.
The participants also stressed that without action on national security and justice, “Libya’s recent steps toward a successful democratic transition and prosperous future” could be jeopardized.
The Libyan government agreed but added that it was making efforts to address these challenges, adding that it was taking further appropriate steps in coordination with international partners.
The participants said they supported the Libyan government efforts to build “a secure, prosperous and democratic nation, and overcome existing challenges in the areas of national security, rule of law and justice.”
The communique at the end of the meeting said that two plans, the National Security Development Plan and the Justice and Rule of Law Development Plan, would be implemented in Libya to ensure progress in these areas.
Border security would like be helped by recently-announced EU civilian support, to be deployed in June.
The next Ministerial Libya Support conference is to be held in Italy. [/restrict]
