German Chancellor Angela Merkel Thursday urged the international community to work towards peace in Libya to avoid a new Syria; a ground for proxy war between regional actors.
“We have to be very careful that what happened in Syria would not happen again in Libya,” Merkel said at the World Economic Forum in Davos.
The German leader said that the Berlin conference on Libya sought to contribute to a political solution in the crisis-hit north African country.
Libya, since the removal of longtime ruler Muammar Gaddafi in a NATO-backed revolution in 2011, has had two administrations: the UN-backed Government of National Accord (GNA) and a rival administration in east led by retired General Khalifa Haftar. The latter launched in April an offensive to seize Tripoli.
Merkel also called for a continued support for the political solution proposed at the Sunday gathering by world powers and several other countries.
“We have to be vigilant about these peace processes, we have to care for them, despite all the difficulties,” she insisted.
The conference also snatched pledges by countries backing various sides in the crisis to cease providing military and logistical support.
Turkey, Qatar and Italy have sided with the GNA while Saudi Arabia, UAE, Egypt and Russia endorse Haftar.
