Paris Conf. on Libya Touches upon Elections, Foreign Forces' Withdrawal

World leaders gathered on Friday for Libya Conference in Paris where they agreed to push sanctions against anyone who disrupts Libya's electoral process and political transition.

The conference, which included the leaders of France, Libya, Germany, Italy and Egypt, as well as the U.S. vice president, was to cement backing for the planned vote on Dec. 24 and efforts to remove foreign forces.

Powers in Paris decided "that inpiduals or entities, inside or outside of Libya, who might attempt to obstruct, undermine, manipulate or falsify the electoral process and the political transition" could face sanctions.

In a tweet, President of the European Council Charles Michel asserted that they had a historical responsibility to work to end the Libyan crisis.

https://twitter.com/eucopresident/status/1459198370510221322

 

In a video message to the conference, U.N. Secretary-General Antonio Guterres warned that "any party that deliberately undermines or sabotages peace must be held accountable".

The Paris conference was organized with the United Nations, with attendance of regional and world leaders including French President Emmanuel Macron; Egyptian President Abdel Fattah El Sisi, Tunisian Prime Minister Najla Bouden, German Chancellor Angela Merkel, Italian Prime Minister Mario Draghi, the UN envoy to Libya Ján Kubiš, the US vice president Kamala Harris, and Libya's Prime Minister Abdel-Hamid Dbeibah as well as the head of the country's Presidential Council, Mohamed Menfi.