Libyan Prime Minister Hosts 22nd CEN-SAD Executive Council Session in Tripoli

The 22nd ordinary session of the Community of Sahel-Saharan States (CEN-SAD) Executive Council was inaugurated in Tripoli by Libyan Prime Minister Abdulhamid Dbeibeh. The session is focused on the restructuring of the organization and the relaunch of its institutions. According to the Libyan News Agency (LANA), the meeting brings together foreign ministers from several countries, including Egypt, Tunisia, Chad, Djibouti, the Central African Republic, Sierra Leone, Somalia, and Guinea-Bissau.

The representative of the UN Secretary-General for Libya, Hanna Tetteh, and several diplomats also attended the opening ceremony. In his speech, Prime Minister Dbeibeh emphasized the need for strengthened regional cooperation to address political, security, and economic challenges. He called for better coordination in the fight against terrorism, organized crime, and irregular migration, as well as enhanced border security and regional stability.

Dbeibeh also stressed the importance of moving from coordination to concrete joint actions, mobilizing the capacities and resources of member states for the benefit of their populations. He expressed hope that a calendar would be established to complete the transfer of the organization's executive secretariat to its Tripoli headquarters, reaffirming Libya's commitment to supporting CEN-SAD activities and African integration.

On the sidelines of the meeting, Egyptian Foreign Minister Badr Abdelatty met with his Chadian counterpart, Abderaman Koulamallah, to discuss strengthening bilateral relations and regional issues of common interest. They also discussed the relaunch of CEN-SAD institutions and the development of cooperation among member states in areas such as counter-terrorism, capacity building, and development.

Tripoli had previously hosted a CEN-SAD meeting in April, marking the first time since the fall of Muammar Gaddafi's regime in 2011. CEN-SAD was established on February 4, 1998, in Tripoli, and comprises 28 African countries in the Sahel-Saharan region, with observer status at the United Nations. After 2011, its executive secretariat was transferred from Tripoli to N'Djamena, Chad.

The current session of CEN-SAD brings together ministers and delegates from member states to discuss ways to revitalize the organization and enhance regional cooperation. The organization's efforts to address common challenges facing the Sahel-Saharan region are crucial, given the complex security and economic issues affecting the area.

The outcome of the CEN-SAD session is expected to contribute to a more effective and coordinated approach to regional challenges, with a focus on concrete actions and enhanced cooperation among member states. The meeting's results will likely have significant implications for the future of the organization and its role in promoting stability and development in the Sahel-Saharan region.

Key points

• Strengthening regional cooperation to address political, security, and economic challenges in the Sahel-Saharan region.