[FormerTanzanianPresidentJakayaMrishoKikwete]willbeworkingcloselywiththeUNincoordinatingtheAfricanUnion/UNeffortsintheharmonizationandthestrengtheningofinternationalengagementinLibya.
NkosazanaDlamini-Zuma,AfricanUnionChairperson
Ex-TanzanianpresidentleadsdiplomaticeffortstobrokeraconflictresolutioninLibya
ByAggreyMutambo
WithformerTanzanianPresidentJakayaMrishoKikweteappointedtheAfricanUnion(AU)HighRepresentativeforLibya,itishopedthathewillhelpsteertheembattledcountryoutofitsquagmireofterrorism,humantrafficking,hungerandconflict.
鈥淭heappointment...aimsatboostingtheAUhighleveleffortsinthesearchofasuccessfulpoliticaltransitionandrestorationofpeaceandstabilityinLibya,鈥滱UCommissionChairpersonNkosazanaDlamini-Zumasaidinastatement.
Kikwete,whoreplacesformerDjiboutiPrimeMinisterDileitaMohamedDileita,hasrichexperienceinconflictresolution,havingbeeninvolvedinsettlingthelongBurundicivilwarin2005.
鈥淚nmostconflicts,theyhavetoberipetobemanaged,鈥漵aidDr.OchiengKamudhayi,aconflictmanagementspecialistwhoteachesattheCenterforPublicPolicyandCompetitivenessatNairobi鈥檚StrathmoreBusinessSchool.鈥淪omepartiestakelongtodecideiftheywanttocomein[tonegotiations,asit]happenedin[the]Burundisituation.LibyaiscomplicatedbutKikwetecanlookbackatthatexperiencetocontributeinhisnewrole,鈥滽amudhayitoldChinAfrica.
Kikwete鈥檚assignmentistomaintainclosecontactwithLibyanstakeholders.HewillalsointeractwiththeleadersofneighboringcountriestofacilitateacollectiveandcoordinatedAfricanactiononLibya.
鈥淚nparticular,hewillbeworkingcloselywiththeUNincoordinatingtheAU/UNeffortsintheharmonizationandthestrengtheningofinternationalengagementinLibya,鈥滵lamini-Zumasaid.
Since2014,LibyahasaninternationallyrecognizedgovernmentwithitscapitalatTobrukandarivaladministrationinTripoli.InFebruaryLibya鈥檚UN-backedPresidencyCouncil,thebodyfunctioningastheheadofstate,proposedanewcabinetintheinterestofnationalunity.
鈥淲ecanonlyhopethatthecurrentmechanismtheAUhassetupinLibyawithformerTanzanianPresidentJakayaKikweteasitsspecialenvoywillsucceed,andwecangetbackarealstate,鈥漵aidPaulineNjoroge,communicationadvisorattheNewPartnershipforAfrica鈥檚Development,theAU鈥檚planningandcoordinatingtechnicalunit.
ChinesePresidentXiJinpinghasbeenamongthoseintheinternationalcommunitytocallforarrestingLibya鈥檚freefall.
鈥淭herewillbenowinneroutofaconflict,anditisthepeopleintheregionwhosuffer,鈥漢etoldagatheringattheheadquartersoftheArabLeagueinCairoinJanuary,sayingurgentpoliticaldialoguewasthepathtoafundamentalsolution.Xipledged$35millioninhumanitarianaidtoLibya,Syria,Yemen,JordanandLebanon.
LibyawasonceoneoftherichestcountriesinAfrica,producing480,000barrelsofoiladay,whichaccountedfor60percentofitsGDP,accordingtoOilProducingandExportingCountriesstatistics.
FormerLibyanleaderMuammarGaddafi,whoseizedpowerin1969andruledfor40years,wastoppledin2011,inthewakeofanarmedrebellionassistedbytheNorthAtlanticTreatyOrganization.GaddafiwaskilledintheaftermathandrebelandmilitantgroupsliketheIslamicStateofIraqandSyria(ISIS)begantoflourish.InJanuary,theInternationalContactGroupforLibya,agroupingofAUandUNmembercountries,saidLibyawasbecominghometotheISIS,meaningthatLibya鈥檚chaoswasnolongersimplyaninternalproblem.
ManyofLibya鈥檚estimated6millionpeoplehavebeendisplaced,withsomeattemptingillegalmigrationtoEurope.ThelatestsituationreportfromtheUnitedNationsOfficefortheCoordinationofHumanitarianAffairssaysleast350,000Libyansareinurgentneedoffoodsuppliesandotherrelief.
YetLibyaisfightingtoremainstanding.InDecember2015,LibyanpoliticalleaderssignedtheLibyaPoliticalAgreement,agreeingtoformanationalunitygovernment.However,thatgovernmentcanbeformedonlyiftheHouseofRepresentatives,Libya鈥檚parliament,approvesit.TheAUhasbeengiventheresponsibilityofpushingfortheconsolidationofthegovernmentofnationalaccord.CA
(ReportingfromKenya)