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US Ambassador, Menfi Discuss Libya Reconciliation

Presidential Council head Mohammed al-Menfi (R) meets with Ambassador Norland. (US Embassy)
Presidential Council head Mohammed al-Menfi (R) meets with Ambassador Norland. (US Embassy)
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US Ambassador, Menfi Discuss Libya Reconciliation

Presidential Council head Mohammed al-Menfi (R) meets with Ambassador Norland. (US Embassy)
Presidential Council head Mohammed al-Menfi (R) meets with Ambassador Norland. (US Embassy)

Head of the Libyan Presidential Council Mohammed al-Menfi held talks in Tunis on Sunday with US Ambassador to Libya Richard Norland, just days after Libyan National Army (LNA) commander Khalifa Haftar presided over a major military parade in the eastern city of Benghazi.

In a tweet, the US embassy in Libya, which is based in Tunisia, said Norland had a “good discussion on a full range of issues including unification of military, security and other institutions, reconciliation, removal of foreign fighters and elections in December.”

“We also discussed improving security conditions in the south to better deal with issues such as human trafficking and the presence of mercenaries.”

Menfi, who is also supreme commander of the armed forces, had skipped the LNA parade, despite receiving an invitation, because he was traveling to Tunisia. Head of the Government of National Unity (GNU) Abdulhamid Dbeibeh, who is also defense minister, had also received an invite, but could not attend because he was traveling to Algeria.

At the parade, Haftar declared that it was “time for reconciliation and forgiveness to build a new Libya, one of good, peace and security.”

He called for the dismantling of armed groups in the capital, Tripoli, and to hold the elections later this year without delay.

“We will not hesitate to again engage in battles to impose peace with force if the peaceful settlement is obstructed,” he warned.

In what was interpreted as his first justification for his failure in capturing Tripoli during an LNA offensive launched in 2019, Haftar said his forces were close to “liberating” the capital, but the world “scrambled to halt the advance.”

All the international conferences, starting with the Berlin meeting, that were aimed at achieving peace, were but a product of “our right decision to turn our forces towards Tripoli,” he added.

The LNA described the parade as the largest ever in Libya since the 2011 uprising. It was held to mark the seventh anniversary of the launch of Operation Dignity that kicked off from Benghazi in 2014 against terrorist and criminal groups.

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Macron and Tebboune Announce Return of Normal ‘French-Algerian’ Relations

The Algerian and French presidents in August 2022 (Algerian presidency)
The Algerian and French presidents in August 2022 (Algerian presidency)
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Macron and Tebboune Announce Return of Normal ‘French-Algerian’ Relations

The Algerian and French presidents in August 2022 (Algerian presidency)
The Algerian and French presidents in August 2022 (Algerian presidency)

French President Emmanuel Macron and his Algerian counterpart, Abdelmadjid Tebboune, on Monday confirmed a normalization of ties after months of strained relations and agreed to reestablish political dialogue and relaunch cooperation on security and migration.
During a phone call, Macron urged Algerian counterpart Abdelmadjid Tebboune to show “mercy and humanity” towards a jailed French-Algerian writer, Boualem Sansal, the Elysee palace said in a statement.
The author was sentenced last Thursday to five years in prison after an interview he gave to a French far-right media outlet was deemed to undermine Algeria's territorial integrity.
Macron “called for a gesture of mercy and humanity towards Mr Boualem Sansal, given the age and state of health of the writer,” the Elysee statement said.
French nationals living in Algeria and who mostly own private companies, are concerned that the diplomatic rift between both countries would affect their businesses.
They hope discussions between French and Algerian high ranking officials would halt the deterioration in bilateral relations.
Michel Bisac, president of the Algerian French Chamber of Commerce and Industry, told the French-language news website Tout sur l'Algérie, that French residents in Algeria working in companies or in the finance and business fields, are “always welcomed by their Algerian partners.”
“The problem is mainly political,” he said in an attempt to minimize the escalated relations between both countries and its impact on jobs, and French investments in Algeria.
Bisac said most French companies have performed well in 2024, but the diplomatic escalation between the two countries has raised concerns.
“French companies in Algeria do not face any retaliatory measures. As for administrative difficulties, especially with regard to imports, they affect all foreign investors, and do not specifically target France,” he added.
Bisac said there is no campaign against France despite the tense relations, affirming that professional ties remain strong, and expatriates continue to work in a stable environment.
But as bilateral relations continue to deteriorate, he said, the economy could be affected, threatening years of Franco-Algerian cooperation.
Meanwhile, the government in Paris is divided on the French-Algerian crisis. French Interior Minister Bruno Retailleau vowed a “gradual response” after Algeria refused Paris’ demand to readmit Algerian nationals from France that local authorities have deemed a threat and are seeking to expel.
In return, French Foreign Minister Jean-Noel Barrot will travel to Algiers on April 11 at the invitation of his Algerian counterpart, Ahmed Attaf, as part of the effort to mend ties between both countries. He is expected to meet with Tebboune.
Recently, Algerians have shown a willingness to dialogue, but the local press has continued its attacks on right-wing French officials, including presidential candidate Bruno Retailleau, who has called for the termination of the 1968 Franco-Algerian immigration agreement.
In return, Algeria's parliament established a commission to draft a law criminalizing French colonial rule, a move deemed “historical” and backed by local lawmakers, historians, and legal experts. Observers expect Algeria to abandon this step when relations between Algiers and Paris return to normal.