Officials from the UN, Turkey, Italy, France, Saudi Arabia and Egypt are expected to participate in the conference that aims to iron out transitional issues ahead of key presidential polls.
Libya’s unity government is hosting senior foreign officials to drum up support on transitional issues as the country gears up for a landmark December election.
The conference on Thursday comes two months ahead of planned presidential polls under a United Nations-led peace process that seeks to end a decade of conflict and chaos.
Tripoli has said the world body’s Under Secretary General for Political Affairs Rosemary DiCarlo and Libya envoy Jan Kubis will attend.
Officials from regional powers including Turkey, Italy, France, Saudi Arabia and Egypt are also expected to participate, according to Libyan press agency LANA.
Thursday’s conference aims to “gather the necessary support, in a transparent way” for the presidential election, said Foreign Minister Najla al Mangoush in a video published by her ministry on Sunday.
Foreign powers have been pushing hard for the election to be held as scheduled after the date was agreed at UN-led talks last year.
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Foreign fighters
Libyan Foreign Minister Mangoush said the conference seeks to promote “respect for Libya’s sovereignty and independence (as well as) preventing negative foreign interference”.
Foreign powers have backed various sides in Libya’s complex war, and the presence of mercenaries and foreign troops is one of the toughest obstacles to lasting peace.
Last December, the UN estimated that 20,000 foreign fighters were present in Libya.
The fate of the fighters will feature high on the agenda at Thursday’s conference, Mangoush said, adding that the foreign armed presence “represents a threat not just to Libya but to the entire region”.
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Key elections
Turkish Deputy Foreign Minister Sedat Onal and Khalid Al Mishri, the chairman of the Libyan High Council of State, discussed strengthening relations between their two countries ahead of the conference on Wednesday.
Al Mishri and Onal met in the Libyan capital Tripoli, according to a statement by the press office of the High Council of State.
Discussing ways to strengthen and support relations at all levels, they spoke about the latest developments regarding elections in Libya scheduled for December, emphasizing the importance of holding them on time.
Libya and the UN have been striving to turn the page on the violence that has wracked the country since a 2011 NATO-backed uprising toppled and killed Muammar Gaddafi.
A ceasefire between eastern and western factions last year led to a unity government taking office in March with a mandate to take the country to elections.
The presidential vote is set to take place on December 24, but legislative polls have been delayed, with a date to be set in the new year, amid east-west wrangling.
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Source: TRTWorld and agencies
Libya holds international conference to garner support ahead of elections
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