Libya talks next week a 'real opportunity,' says Tunisian president

The talks will convence on November 9 to resolve the Libyan crisis and to find a political solution.

Tunisia's President Kais Saied speaks during the new government swearing-in ceremony at Carthage Palace on the eastern outskirts of the capital Tunis on September 2, 2020, following a confidence vote Show more

Next week’s Libya talks present a real opportunity to negotiate an end to the conflict, Tunisia’s President Kais Saied said Monday night as he prepares to host the warning sides.

Meeting with Tunisian Foreign Minister Othman Al Jarandi ahead of the summit on November 9, Mr Saied said that it was "a real opportunity for the Libyan brothers to agree on a political settlement."

He said Tunisia is committed to "pushing towards solving [Libya's] problems and crises through dialogue.”

The November 9 talks will be hosted in-person and are set to start the process of ending the Libyan crisis and to find a political solution to years of division that sees the country divided between rival administrations in the east and west.

In April 2019, the eastern backed Libyan National Army launched an offensive to capture the capital of Tripoli after securing much of the south and parts of the west. However, militias that back the Tripoli-based Government of National Accord ground the offensive to a stalemate before massive Turkish support – in the form of Turkish soldiers, equipment, drones and thousands of Syrian mercenaries – helped the militias to push the LNA back to Sirte.

Then, over the summer, both sides said that talks were key to ending the crisis and halted the fighting. There have been several meetings of both civilian and military officials in recent weeks to build common ground ahead of UN hosted peace talks.

Libya's warring sides signed the agreement in a virtual ceremony last month for "a permanent ceasefire in all areas of Libya."

Acting UN envoy for Libya Stephanie Williams has been pushing for a political settlement

A Joint Military Commission from each side is meeting Tuesday for the first time inside Libya, for a fifth round of talks to be held over the next two days in the city of Ghadames.