Libya process gets regional backing by Egypt and Greece

Egypt and Greece have put Libya’s political process, sovereignty and elections back at the centre of their regional diplomacy, as reported by Libyan News Agency on June 11th.

The message came during a phone call between Egyptian Foreign Minister Badr Abdel-Aty and his Greek counterpart Giorgos Gerapetritis, the two ministers discussed regional developments, with Libya treated as a central file alongside broader questions of security and bilateral coordination.

Abdel-Aty used the call to restate Egypt’s support for the unity and stability of the Libyan state, he also stressed the need to unify Libya’s institutions and preserve national sovereignty, language that reflects Cairo’s long standing concern that Libya’s fragmentation could become a permanent security problem on Egypt’s western border.

Libya’s political process has repeatedly stalled because rival institutions, armed actors and foreign backers have not agreed on a single framework for authority, elections are still presented internationally as the formal route out of the crisis but the conditions for holding them remain contested.

Both sides said regional and international efforts should continue to support Libya’s political process and create conditions for simultaneous presidential and parliamentary elections, such elections would renew institutional legitimacy but, in practice, previous attempts have collapsed over constitutional rules, candidate eligibility and the balance of power between eastern and western authorities.

Athens has its own strategic interests in Libya, especially around the eastern Mediterranean and maritime claims together with fuel support, therefore coordination with Cairo therefore reflects not only concern about Libya’s internal deadlock but also wider competition over security, energy and influence.

The broader implication is clear,  Egypt and Greece are aligning around the language of unity and elections but Libya’s crisis remains resistant to diplomatic strategies, without agreement among Libyan actors themselves outside support can reinforce the process but it cannot substitute for a settlement.

Libyan News Agency, Maghrebi.org