Libya’s CDA Warns against Discussing Draft Constitution in Geneva

Men sell Libyan flags in Benghazi, February 16, 2014. REUTERS/Esam Omran Al-Fetori
Men sell Libyan flags in Benghazi, February 16, 2014. REUTERS/Esam Omran Al-Fetori
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Libya’s CDA Warns against Discussing Draft Constitution in Geneva

Men sell Libyan flags in Benghazi, February 16, 2014. REUTERS/Esam Omran Al-Fetori
Men sell Libyan flags in Benghazi, February 16, 2014. REUTERS/Esam Omran Al-Fetori

Libya’s Constitution Drafting Assembly (CDA) has called on the United Nations Support Mission in Libya not to put the constitutional draft up for discussion in Geneva dialogue meetings or elsewhere.

In a letter to the head of UNSMIL, Ghassan Salame, and his political deputy Stephanie Williams on Tuesday, 30 members of the 60-member body said the constitutional track is a mix of the foundational committee elected by Libyans and the constitutional referendum.

They added that neither UNSMIL nor any other current political bodies have the right to approve or reject the constitution as the Libyan people are the ones to decide in the referendum.

“UNSMIL can't take the democratic choice off the hands of Libyans and help execute agendas of powerful personalities that have money, arms and foreign support,” the letter read.

The members called on the UN mission not to give its opinion about the Libyan constitution as it is for Libyans to do so, urging national and international parties to respect the draft constitution issued by the CDA and to vow to carry out a referendum so people can have their say.

After the Berlin conference on January 19, Salame said the Geneva-based political dialogue for Libyan parties will include all issues, including the fate of the constitutional draft.

CDA member Albadri Al-Sharif, in remarks to Asharq Al-Awsat, said: “Our message to UNSMIL stresses that the constitution is a Libyan matter, and that it has no right to decide anything on behalf of the Libyans.”

He noted that the letter was a warning to the mission that interference in constitutional drafting is considered a dangerous precedent.

This comes amid UNSMIL’s constant emphasis on supporting democracy, constitutional work, and not interfering with Libyan decision-making.



Egypt’s Sisi Urges Trump to Exert All Efforts to End Gaza War, Get Aid into Enclave

Palestinians inspect the site struck by an Israeli bombardment in Muwasi, Khan Younis, Gaza Strip, Monday, July 28, 2025. (AP)
Palestinians inspect the site struck by an Israeli bombardment in Muwasi, Khan Younis, Gaza Strip, Monday, July 28, 2025. (AP)
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Egypt’s Sisi Urges Trump to Exert All Efforts to End Gaza War, Get Aid into Enclave

Palestinians inspect the site struck by an Israeli bombardment in Muwasi, Khan Younis, Gaza Strip, Monday, July 28, 2025. (AP)
Palestinians inspect the site struck by an Israeli bombardment in Muwasi, Khan Younis, Gaza Strip, Monday, July 28, 2025. (AP)

Egyptian President Abdel Fattah al-Sisi called on US President Donald Trump on Monday to exert all efforts to end the war in Gaza and allow entry of humanitarian aid into the shattered Palestinian enclave.

Sisi and Trump have long enjoyed warm relations. Egypt, Qatar and the United States have been mediating in search of ceasefire between Israel and Palestinian group Hamas since the war broke out on October 7, 2023.

"I direct this special message to President Trump: Please, exert all efforts to end this war and allow the entry of aid," Sisi said in a televised speech. He added that Trump was one who was "capable of stopping the war."

The latest round of indirect ceasefire talks in Doha between Israel and Hamas broke off last week with no deal in sight as mediators struggle to bridge the gaps between the two sides.

Sisi said Egypt was working to ensure the entry of the largest possible volume of aid into Gaza over the past months, but coordination between Israel and Egypt was needed to do so.

"We cannot deny aid to the enclave, but for aid to get in, coordination with the other side is needed," Sisi said.

Aid trucks started moving towards Gaza from Egypt on Sunday after months of rising international pressure and warnings from humanitarian organizations of starvation spreading across the small, coastal Gaza Strip arising from an Israeli blockade.

Easing restrictions, Israel carried out an air drop and announced a series of measures over the weekend including daily humanitarian pauses in three areas of Gaza and new safe corridors for aid convoys.

But a long-term steady supply of aid is needed to counter the worsening hunger crisis in Gaza, UN aid agencies said on Monday.