Egypt, Tunisia and Algeria have called on all Libyan parties to immediately cease hostilities and commit to holding presidential and parliamentary elections, as renewed tensions threaten to further destabilize the country.
The call came in a joint statement issued by the Egyptian Foreign Ministry following a trilateral meeting in Cairo on Saturday. The meeting brought together Egyptian Foreign Minister Badr Abdelatty, Tunisian Foreign Minister Mohamed Ali Nafti and Algerian Foreign Minister Ahmed Attaf as part of efforts to revive a trilateral coordination mechanism focused on Libya.
“Given recent developments and the security situation in Tripoli, the ministers reiterated their call on all Libyan parties to exercise maximum restraint and immediately de-escalate tensions, ensuring the security and stability of the Libyan people,” the statement said.
The three North African states stressed the need for unified national institutions in Libya and stressed the importance of moving forward with a political solution, including long-delayed national elections.
The tripartite coordination mechanism, launched in 2017 but suspended in 2019, was formally reactivated during the Cairo talks. The ministers agreed to hold regular follow-up meetings, with the next sessions planned in Algiers and Tunis before the end of the year.
The renewed diplomatic push comes amid recent armed clashes in Tripoli between forces loyal to the National Unity Government and rival factions, and reflects deepening political divisions. Libya is divided between two rival administrations: the internationally recognized government in Tripoli led by Abdul Hamid Dbeibeh, and a rival eastern-based authority led by Osama Hammad, who is backed by the House of Representatives.
While the United Nations continues to press for elections to resolve the country’s long-running conflict, efforts have stalled and there has been no official response from Libyan factions to the Cairo initiative.