Day: September 27, 2021

NEW YORK— The President of the European Council, Charles Michel, affirmed the support of the European Union (EU) for the organisation of free and fair elections for stability and peace in Libya.

During a recent meeting, on the sidelines of the United Nations General Assembly, in New York, with the President of the Libyan Presidential Council, Mohamed Al-Menfi, Michel highlighted the contributions of several EU Member States through the Programme of United Nations for Development (UNDP).

General elections are scheduled for Dec 24, in line with the Libyan Political Dialogue Forum’s script.

But differences over the adoption of a constitutional basis for them undermine their organisation.

Michel added, on that occasion, that the European Union remains dedicated to the stability of Libya, by helping to establish democracy and its institutions.

In turn, Al-Menfi expressed his gratitude for all European efforts aimed at supporting the political process in Libya and restoring stability and peace in the country, contributing to the joint efforts aimed at national reconciliation and the organisation of the next elections.

Source: NAM NEWS NETWORK

UNITED NATIONS— Mali Prime Minister Choguel Kokalla Maiga accused France of abandoning the conflict-torn country with its decision to draw down troops this year.

Maiga told the UN General Assembly that he regretted the “unilateral announcement,” which he said justified his government “seeking other partners,” in an apparent reference to Mali having asked private Russian companies to boost security in the conflict-torn country.

“Mali regrets that the principle of consultation and concertation which should be the rule between privileged partners was not observed before the French government’s decision. The new situation resulting from the end of Operation Barkhane, which presents Mali with a fait accompli and exposes it to a kind of abandonment in mid-flight, leads us to explore ways and means to better ensure security, either independently or with other partners.,” Choguel Kokalla Maiga, Mali Prime Minister read in a statement.

This comes after a recent demonstration in Mali’s capital backing the nation’s military rulers and protesting perceived foreign meddling in the Sahel state.

The protest comes as military strongman Colonel Assimi Goita faces growing pressure from European powers to renounce a possible deal with Russian private-security firm Wagner.

Former colonial power France — which has thousands of troops in Mali — warned against the deal after reports Mali was close to hiring 1,000 Wagner paramilitaries surfaced this month.

French Defence Minister Florence Parly said this week that her government “will not be able to cohabit with mercenaries”.

Source: NAM NEWS NETWORK

TUNIS— Hundreds of people took to the streets of the Tunisian capital to protest President Kaïs Saied’s recent decrees bolstering the already near-total power he granted himself two months ago.

They include the continuing suspension of the parliament’s powers, the suspension of all legislators’ immunity from prosecution, and a freeze on their salaries.

In July, Saied decided to sack the country’s prime minister, suspend parliament – whose powers are now frozen – and assume executive authority, saying it was because of a national emergency.

His critics called it a coup.

Protesters on Sunday demanded the country’s constitution be respected and parliament reinstated.

Dozens of Saied supporters held a counter-protest but were separated by security barriers.

On Saturday, more than 100 Ennahdha party officials announced their resignations to protest the movement’s leadership.

In a statement on Saturday, 113 senior officials from Tunisia’s largest party announced they resigned over its failure to confront what they called an “imminent tyrannical danger”.

The group blamed Ennahdha for its inability to form a common front to oppose Saied’s power grab, which began with the decision to sack the government and suspend parliament on July 25.

Among the signatories of the Ennahdha statement were eight lawmakers and several former ministers, including former Minister of Health Abdellatif Mekki, who said in a Facebook post that he was deeply saddened by the decision but saw the decision as inevitable.

“I have no choice,” he said. “We must confront the coup for the sake of Tunisia.”

Some Ennahdha officials had called for the resignation of their leader Rached Ghannouchi, the parliament speaker, over the party’s response to the political crisis.

Ennahdha has reiterated that it considered Saied’s decision to suspend parliament and sack the prime minister as “unconstitutional”, but has taken a conciliatory approach, calling on the president to reverse the measures.

Ennahdha has been the most powerful party in Tunisia since the 2011 revolution, playing a role in backing successive coalition governments.

Source: NAM NEWS NETWORK