World powers meet in Berlin over Libya unrest

World powers are meeting in Berlin today to seek lasting peace in Libya by ensuring the conflict-racked North African country stays firmly on the path towards general elections on December 24.

Representatives of Libya’s interim government will join US secretary of state Antony Blinken as well as the foreign ministers of France and Egypt at the United Nations-sponsored talks.

The efforts to end a decade-long spiral of violence in Libya would be the second round in Berlin, after the first attended by the presidents of Turkey, Russia and France in January 2020.

Ahead of Wednesday’s talks, German foreign minister Heiko Maas reminded participants of pledges made last year for an end to international meddling and for foreign fighters or troops to withdraw.

The UN estimates that 20,000 foreign fighters and mercenaries are still in Libya – a presence that is seen as a threat to the UN-recognised transition leading to the elections.