Egypt Parliament to Discuss Monday Sending Troops to Libya

President Sisi chairs a meeting of the national defense council. (Egyptian presidency)
President Sisi chairs a meeting of the national defense council. (Egyptian presidency)
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Egypt Parliament to Discuss Monday Sending Troops to Libya

President Sisi chairs a meeting of the national defense council. (Egyptian presidency)
President Sisi chairs a meeting of the national defense council. (Egyptian presidency)

The Egyptian parliament is expected to meet on Monday to discuss President Abdul Fattah al-Sisi’s decision to send troops to Libya.

The president, who is also commander of the armed forces, needs the approval of two-thirds of lawmakers and a recommendation from the national defense council before sending forces on foreign combat missions.

Sisi chaired on Sunday a meeting for the council to discuss the developments in Libya as part of Egypt’s efforts to “maintain the current frontlines” and prevent any side from crossing the declared red lines, in order to preserve peace between all Libyan parties.

Last month, the president had declared that the cities of Sirte and Jufra were “red lines” that must not be crossed. Any move on these cities would force Egypt to intervene to safeguard its national security, he added.

Sunday’s defense council meeting included the parliament speaker, prime minister, defense and military production minister, armed forces commander, navy and air force commanders, head of general intelligence, and the ministers of foreign affairs, finance and interior.

In a statement, the presidency said the council underscored that Egypt “will not spare an effort” in supporting Libya and helping its people overcome their crisis. Libya is among the “top priorities of Cairo’s foreign policy” and its security is “integral to Egyptian and Arab national security.”

It expressed its commitment to the political solution to the crisis that would ensure Libya’s sovereignty and national unity, restoration of state institutions and “elimination of terrorism and criminal and extremist militias.” The solution would put an end to “illegal meddling” in Libyan internal affairs that are only exacerbating the crisis and “threatening neighboring countries and international peace.”



Local Peace Efforts in Yemen Outpace UN Performance

UN steps in late as local efforts succeed in reopening Yemen roads (UN)
UN steps in late as local efforts succeed in reopening Yemen roads (UN)
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Local Peace Efforts in Yemen Outpace UN Performance

UN steps in late as local efforts succeed in reopening Yemen roads (UN)
UN steps in late as local efforts succeed in reopening Yemen roads (UN)

Local peace initiatives in Yemen have made notable strides in recent years, eclipsing the stalled efforts of United Nations mediators since the collapse of the Kuwait-hosted peace talks in mid-2016, which were derailed by the Iran-aligned Houthis.

These efforts have achieved key breakthroughs, particularly in facilitating prisoner exchanges and reopening roads between provinces – areas where UN-led negotiations have largely faltered.

Since the Houthis seized the capital and toppled the internationally recognized government in late 2014, UN envoys have made limited headway. The only tangible outcome was the 2018 Stockholm Agreement, which sought to halt fighting around the strategic Red Sea port of Hodeidah – a deal that analysts say primarily benefited the Houthis.

A separate nationwide ceasefire was brokered through regional diplomacy in 2022, but it remains fragile and at risk of collapse amid repeated violations by Houthi forces.

In the realm of prisoner swaps, local initiatives have far outpaced the UN's achievements. While the United Nations has overseen the release of around 2,500 detainees from both government and Houthi sides, grassroots negotiators have facilitated the exchange of more than 11,000 prisoners, along with the recovery of dozens of bodies.

As interest in UN Special Envoy Hans Grundberg’s visits and initiatives wanes among Yemenis, local politicians and activists say few expect him to achieve any real breakthrough.

Many believe Grundberg now waits for regional powers to lead negotiations and merely lends UN legitimacy to any resulting agreements.

While the UN-led process remains stalled, local initiatives have delivered meaningful gains, particularly in reopening roads long blockaded by Houthi forces. The rebels had used road closures to punish civilians and restrict the movement of goods into areas under their control.

Activists credit local mediators with playing a pivotal role in easing the Houthi-imposed siege on Taiz by reopening the key road linking the city center to the eastern suburb of Al-Hawban — a move widely seen as a humanitarian relief.

The momentum of these local efforts continued with the reopening of a major route connecting the southern port city of Aden to Houthi-held areas through the provinces of Al-Dhale and Ibb, restoring a vital commercial and civilian artery.

With no new rounds of UN-sponsored talks since the collapse of the Kuwait negotiations, Yemen’s grassroots peace initiatives are rekindling hopes for further breakthroughs beyond road openings and prisoner swaps.

Local mediators are now pushing the Houthis to reopen Al-Fakher road in Al-Dhale province, which leads to the neighboring city of Ibb.

They are also working to reopen a vital route linking Abyan and Al-Bayda provinces through the mountainous Thura Pass — a road that would cut travel time between the two regions by half.

The UN has expressed support for these local initiatives aimed at restoring road links across a country fractured by nearly a decade of conflict.

Grundberg’s office said it recently dispatched a delegation to Al-Dhale, where officials met with government representatives and security leaders to discuss the latest proposal to reopen the main route connecting the capital Sanaa with the southern port city of Aden via Al-Dhale.