Italian minister warns instability in Libya is hampering aid efforts

Libyan General National Congress chairman Nuri Abu Sahmein speaks to reporters at the end of the International Conference on Libya, in Rome yesterday.

AFP/Rome

Italy’s new Foreign Minister Federica Mogherini yesterday warned Libya that political instability is hampering international efforts to provide assistance to the deeply-divided country.

Mogherini told Libyan Prime Minister Ali Zeidan and a large delegation of foreign ministers in Rome that “international partners are ready to help Libya”, but the “uncontrolled circulation of arms” in the country was creating difficulties.

The talks, attended by US Secretary of State John Kerry, were being held to weigh assistance for the transitional authorities in Libya.

A US intelligence assessment in February warned that a power vacuum in Libya, where the government is struggling to counter well-armed militias, was fuelling extremist groups across the region and posed an “acute” terror threat.

Security forces are regularly attacked, especially in the east. Observers fear rival ex-rebel groups, heavily armed with weapons looted from the arsenals of former dictator Muammar Gaddafi, could yet push Libya into civil war.

In February, France ruled out Western military action against Islamist fighters in southern Libya - a region that the US has identified as a new haven for Al Qaeda-linked militants.

But Foreign Minister Laurent Fabius said the Western powers were aware of the problem and were drawing up plans to help the Libyan government deal with it.

“The situation is very worrying” due to “terrorist acts and risks in the south in particular, and an unstable political situation in general,” he said.

He said the Rome meeting was important because “for the first time it brings together a very large group of countries, including China and Russia.”

Mogherini stressed the importance of acting now to avoid the high price Libya would pay if international patience runs out.

“There are no shortcuts, the solution for Libyan stability will come from Libya,” she said, adding that “our commitment cannot last for ever”.