French Foreign Minister Jean Yves Le Drian visited Libya on Monday to meet rival political leaders and to offer his country’s support for a deal aimed at stabilizing the North African country.
A deal was signed in Paris in July between rivals Fayez al-Seraj and Khalifa Haftar, committing them to a conditional ceasefire and to work towards elections in 2018.
The elections are meant to ensure a united government is put in place, this seen as a way to pacify the war torn nation.
Libya has been in chaos since the 2011 toppling of long-serving leader Muammar Gaddafi, with different factions sprouting up to assume control of different parts of the country.
The conflict in the country has meant Libya is the preferred destination for most African migrants seeking to reach Europe illegally. People smugglers have taken advantage of the situation, extorting money from desperate migrants.
Le Drian’s visit comes as Western governments, worried about Islamist militants and smugglers thriving in Libya’s chaos, are pushing a broader U.N.-backed deal to unify Libya.
“The minister wants to consolidate this agreement by getting the parties not invited in July to support it,” said a French diplomatic source.
“He wants to ensure that everyone is playing the game and lay the groundwork for elections.”
The French minister’s visit is in line with President Emmanuel Macron’s push for a deeper French role in bringing Libyan factions together in the hope of countering militant violence and easing Europe’s migrant crisis.
“Our objective is the stabilization of Libya in the interests of the Libyans themselves,” Le Drian said in a statement in Tripoli. “A united Libya, equipped with functioning institutions, is the condition for avoiding the terrorist threat in the long term.”
