The United States Special Envoy for Arab and African Affairs, Massad Boulos, has described the talks held on Monday in Malta between the rival factions in Libya as "constructive" this Wednesday. Libya has been mired for years in a power duality that worsened after the postponement of the elections planned for 2021.
"I am pleased to have brought together senior officials from western and eastern Libya again, this time in Malta. Our goal has been to contribute to the advancement of Libyan efforts to unify the country's institutions. I have appreciated the constructive talks between the Libyan parties," Boulos stated.
The US diplomat also stressed that "a united Libya will be more stable and prosperous," as well as "a stronger economic and security partner for the rest of the world, including the United States," according to a message posted on social media two days after the meeting.
On Monday, senior officials from the rival factions in eastern and western Libya held a meeting in Malta which, according to sources close to the talks, represented a significant step in attempting to de-escalate tensions.
In a first session, Ibrahim Dbeibé, senior advisor and relative of the Prime Minister of the Libyan Government of National Unity, Abdul Hamid Dbeibé, based in Tripoli, met with Sadam Haftar, son of Field Marshal Khalifa Haftar and influential 'number two' of the self-proclaimed Libyan National Army (LNA).
Subsequently, the Libyan delegations held a brief meeting with representatives of the Maltese Executive, which would include Foreign Minister Chris Fearne and Deputy Prime Minister Ian Borg, as reported by the newspaper 'Times of Malta'.
Fearne himself expressed in a social media message his support for "efforts aimed at achieving stability and lasting security in Libya," while confirming that he had met with both the Libyan parties and Boulos.
In recent months, the United States has increased its contacts with leaders from both sides of the North African country with the aim of promoting political reconciliation and advancing the unification of currently fragmented institutions.
Malta, on the other hand, has consolidated itself over the years as a neutral venue for talks on Libya, relying on its geographical proximity and its historical, political, and economic ties with its southern neighbor.
At the end of June, Libyan forces loyal to the authorities established in the east of the country expressed their willingness to enter into negotiations on the initiative put forward by the United States to achieve administrative reunification, considering that it could open the door to a way out of the crisis that began in 2011 after the capture and execution of the then Libyan leader, Muammar Gaddafi.