Sheikh Mohammed meets head of Libya’s Government of National Accord

The meeting with Fayez Al Serraj in Abu Dhabi took place as France said it would host a meeting about Libya next week, inviting several countries in the region, including the UAE, Egypt, Qatar and Turkey.

Sheikh Mohamed bin Zayed, Crown Prince of Abu Dhabi and Deputy Supreme Commander of the UAE, meets Fayez Al Serraj, head of Libya's Government of National Accord of Libya, at Al Shati Palace. ( MohameShow more

PARIS // Sheikh Mohammed bin Zayed yesterday met the head of one of Libya’s rival administrations to discuss the political and security developments in the country.

Fayez Al Serraj, prime minister of the United Nations-backed Government of National Accord (GNA), based in the Libyan capital Tripoli, held talks with Sheikh Mohammed, Crown Prince of Abu Dhabi and Deputy Supreme Commander of the Armed Forces, at Al Shati Palace in Abu Dhabi.

The meeting took place a day after Mr Al Serraj said Gen Khalifa Haftar, who heads forces loyal to a rival administration in the east of Libya, should be represented in a new, more inclusive government.

Resolving the Libyan conflict, which erupted after the downfall of Muammar Qaddafi, is one of the UAE’s foreign policy priorities. While it supported Gen Haftar in his fight against hardline and extremist militias, Abu Dhabi also urged cooperation between the GNA and its rival, the House of Representatives.

France yesterday said it would host a meeting about Libya next week, inviting several countries in the region, including the UAE, Egypt, Qatar and Turkey.

Mr Al Serraj held talks with French president Francois Hollande in Paris on Tuesday.

“We have no other choice but dialogue and reconciliation,” said Mr Al Serraj, less than two weeks after Gen Haftar’s forces seized control of the country’s main oil ports.

However, Gen Haftar said he rejected Mr Al Serraj’s government and said the country would be better served by a leader with “high-level military experience”.

* Agence France-Presse and Wam