Germany’s Maas heads to Algeria, Tunisia to present Libya peace plan
German Foreign Minister Heiko Maas on Thursday set off for Algeria and Tunisia for talks with Libya’s neighbouring countries in a bid to maintain momentum for a UN-brokered peace plan agreed to in Berlin.
In Algiers, Maas is set to brief foreign ministers from the region on the results of an international conference in Germany, which he says, cleared “a decisive hurdle” toward resolving the long-running civil war in Libya.
READ ALSO: Prices for private properties in Germany continue to rise
“But many more hurdles lie ahead. It is more important that we do not lose any time in implementing the plan and making use of the momentum that has been created,” Maas said.
Libya which is bordered by Tunisia, Algeria, Niger, Chad, Sudan and Egypt, has been in turmoil since the 2011 overthrow of Moamer Gaddafi and has become a battleground for rival proxy forces.
At the Berlin conference, world leaders vowed to uphold a UN arms embargo and end military support for Libya’s warring factions.
However, there was concern that only two of Libya’s neighbouring countries, Egypt and Algeria, took part in the talks.
Tunisia had complained about not being invited, when Berlin extended a late invite, the country declined.
Maas is set to travel to Tunisia, where he will meet with President Kais Saied, also to discuss the conflict after holding ministerial talks in the Algerian capital.
