Libya Contact Group
The Libya Contact Group was an international collective established to support the Libyan National Transitional Council in their effort to overthrow the regime of Muammar Gaddafi in Libya. It was hosted by western nations and members of the Arab League, and known by a variety of other names including the Friends of Libya and the International Contact Group for Libya.[1]
Formation
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The Contact Group was set up following the London Conference on Libya in March 2011.[2][3] The conference included United Nations Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon, prominent delegates from the Arab League and from European countries, U.S. Secretary of State Hillary Clinton, and representatives from NATO. Leaders of the Libyan National Transitional Council including Mahmoud Jibril were consulted prior to the conference but did not attend.[3]
Contact Group
[edit | edit source]Its first three meetings were in Doha, Rome and Abu Dhabi.[4]
In its fourth meeting, held in Istanbul in July 2011 and attended by American Secretary of State Hillary Clinton,[5] the Contact Group announced its participants' agreement to deal with the Libyan National Transitional Council, the major coalition of anti-Gaddafi forces, as the "legitimate governing authority in Libya".[6][7]
The fifth meeting was planned to take place in New York on September,[8] but the events in Tripoli forced the members to meet again in Istanbul on extraordinary meeting on 25 August to set up road map for construction of "new Libya".[9][10]
The group recognized the progress made by the Libyan people, NTC, and NATO forces, and underlined the importance of continued support from all entities in the formation of a free and democratic Libya.[11]
Friends of Libya
[edit | edit source]At the meeting on 1 September 2011 in Paris, the Contact Group was dissolved and replaced with a new international meeting group called the Friends of Libya.[12][13]
A second Friends of Libya conference was held on September 20, 2011 in New York City.[14]
Members
[edit | edit source]Countries
[edit | edit source]- File:Flag of Australia (converted).svg Australia
- File:Flag of Bahrain.svg Bahrain
- File:Flag of Belgium (civil).svg Belgium
- File:Flag of Bulgaria.svg Bulgaria
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- File:Flag of Denmark.svg Denmark
- File:Flag of France.svg France
- File:Flag of Germany.svg Germany
- File:Flag of Greece.svg Greece
- File:Flag of Italy.svg Italy
- File:Flag of Japan.svg Japan
- File:Flag of Jordan.svg Jordan
- File:Flag of Kuwait.svg Kuwait
- File:Flag of Lebanon.svg Lebanon
- Libya Libya (NTC)
- File:Flag of Luxembourg.svg Luxembourg
- File:Flag of Malta.svg Malta
- File:Flag of Morocco.svg Morocco
- File:Flag of the Netherlands.svg Netherlands
- File:Flag of Norway.svg Norway
- File:Flag of Poland.svg Poland
- File:Flag of Spain.svg Spain
- File:Flag of Sweden.svg Sweden
- File:Flag of Turkey.svg Turkey
- File:Flag of the United Arab Emirates.svg United Arab Emirates
- File:Flag of the United Kingdom.svg United Kingdom
- File:Flag of the United States.svg United States
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Belgium, Luxembourg, and Netherlands shared a rotating Benelux seat. Denmark, Norway, and Sweden had a similar arrangement, sharing a Nordic seat.
Observers
[edit | edit source]- File:Flag of Algeria.svg Algeria
- File:Flag of Brazil.svg Brazil
- File:Flag of Cyprus.svg Cyprus
- File:Flag of Egypt.svg Egypt
- File:Flag of Ethiopia.svg Ethiopia
- File:Flag of Vatican City (2023–present).svg Holy See (Vatican City)
- File:Flag of India.svg India
- File:Flag of the People's Republic of China.svg People's Republic of China
- File:Flag of Portugal (official).svg Portugal
- File:Flag of Romania.svg Romania
- File:Flag of Senegal.svg Senegal
- File:Flag of South Africa.svg South Africa
- File:Flag of South Korea.svg South Korea
- File:Flag of Sudan.svg Sudan
- File:Flag of Tunisia.svg Tunisia
- File:Flag of Ukraine.svg Ukraine
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Bulgaria was originally an observer, but it began sitting as a full member at the June meeting in Abu Dhabi and thereafter. South Africa boycotted the September meeting in Paris.
International organisations
[edit | edit source]- File:Flag of the Arab League.svg Arab League
- File:Flag of Europe.svg European Union
- File:Flag of the Cooperation Council for the Arab States of the Gulf.svg Gulf Cooperation Council
- File:Flag of NATO.svg NATO
- File:OIC Logo since 2011.svg Organisation of Islamic Cooperation
- File:Flag of the United Nations.svg United Nations
Observers
[edit | edit source]Arab League, Gulf Cooperation Council and Organisation of Islamic Cooperation were originally observers, but they began sitting as a full members probably from 29 of July.
Last meeting in Paris
[edit | edit source]President of France Nicolas Sarkozy invited several new countries and one international organisation on the last meeting of Libya Contact Group:
- File:Flag of Bosnia and Herzegovina.svg Bosnia and Herzegovina
- File:Flag of Chad.svg Chad
- File:Flag of Colombia.svg Colombia
- File:Flag of Gabon.svg Gabon
- File:Flag of Iraq.svg Iraq
- File:Flag of Mali.svg Mali
- File:Flag of Mauritania.svg Mauritania
- File:Flag of Niger.svg Niger
- File:Flag of Nigeria.svg Nigeria
- File:Flag of Russia.svg Russia
- File:Flag of Saudi Arabia.svg Saudi Arabia
- File:Flag of Switzerland (Pantone).svg Switzerland
- Union for the Mediterranean
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Nigeria and Saudi Arabia reportedly did attend.[15]
See also
[edit | edit source]References
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- ^ Ibrahim Karagul, "Where's the Fire!," Yeni Safak, 19 July 2011.
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External links
[edit | edit source]
- CONTACT GROUP ON LIBYA: ROME MEETING – PARTICIPANTS LIST
- Libya Contact Group: Chair's statement
- Co-Chairs’ Statement
- Appendix Archived 2012-03-26 at the Wayback Machine
- Libya Contact Group meeting concludes
- Fourth meeting of the Libya Contact Group held in İstanbul Archived 2015-04-09 at the Wayback Machine
- United Nations Security Council Report