African Union concludes Libya visit with Haftar meeting

A delegation from the African Union has concluded its four-day mission in Libya by meeting armed forces commander-in-chief Khalifa Haftar in Benghazi. The only details released so far of yesterday’s meeting with Haftar is that political developments and the fight against terrorism were discussed.

The eight member delegation was led by Jean Jacoso of the Congo and included ministers from Algeria, Conakry, Guinea, Mauritania, Niger, Tunisia and South Africa, as well as the AU’s peace commissioner Ismail Sharqi.

They began their trip on 30 May with a briefing from UNSMIL chief Martin Kobler and met with Presidency Council head Fayez al-Sarraj and State Council leader Abdulrahman Sewehli. In Beida, they met with House of Representatives President Ageela Saleh. In all of their various meetings, the delegation members have been seeking to organise a gathering of all of Libya’s political players under the AU’s auspice.

Read: Libya interim government gain control of airbase from Haftar forces

Libya’s eastern-based government has followed regional allies in cutting diplomatic ties with Qatar, its foreign minister, Mohamed Dayri confirmed today. The government, based in Beida, has little authority within Libya. It is appointed by a parliament that sits in the east and is aligned with military strongman Haftar.