Ambassadors of European Union (EU) member states in Libya warned of the dangers of financial corruption in Libya and its destabilizing effect in the Mediterranean as well as African Sahel regions, stressing the need to find a national mechanism to combat it.
The EU ambassadors' warning came during their meeting with the Head of the Presidential Council, Mohammed Menfi, at the Council's headquarters in Tripoli on Wednesday, to discuss developments in the political situation taking place in Libya.
The ambassadors stressed the support of the United Nations Support Mission in Libya to facilitate a political process under Libyan leadership and ownership, welcoming the call to hold municipal elections and calling for their facilitation across the country, supporting Libya in removing fighters, mercenaries and foreign forces, and working to find a national mechanism to distribute the budget as well as resources in a proper manner that is transparent and fair.
They also reaffirmed their full support for the national reconciliation project adopted by the Presidential Council, and any dialogue that would lead Libya to elections, in addition to coordination in combating illegal immigration, terrorism and organized crime, warning of financial corruption and its impact in supporting destabilization in the Mediterranean and Sahel region, as well as supporting the creation of a mechanism for anti-financial corruption training program with a national mechanism supported by the European Union.
This meeting comes ahead of the upcoming meeting of the economic working group emanating from the International Follow-up Committee of the Berlin Process, whose membership includes the United States, the European Union, Egypt, and the United Nations, which will discuss ways to help the Libyan parties agree on a unified budget for the state.