Libya - Crisis response

Latest News

20/10/2014

647 65744 1 _blank Catherine Ashton upon arrival at the Foreign Affairs Council Catherine Ashton upon arrival at the Foreign Affairs Council /statements/docs/2014/141020_01_en.pdf 10/20/2014 13:45:00 10/20/2014 13:45:00 10/20/2014 13:45:00 nulldate 2014102013 European External Action Service 090126248ce80579 N 090126248ce80579 /statements/docs/2014/141020_01_en.pdf 446102 pdf Y /statements/docs/2014/141020_01_en.pdf 1 /statements/docs/2014/141020_01_en.pdf /statements/docs/2014/141020_01_zz.pdf N ID_INTERNAL N N
Catherine Ashton upon arrival at the Foreign Affairs Council [436 KB]
04/10/2014

625 65744 1 _blank Statement by the Spokesperson on the need for ceasefire and political dialogue in Libya Statement by the Spokesperson on the need for ceasefire and political dialogue in Libya /statements/docs/2014/141004_02_en.pdf 10/04/2014 15:00:00 10/04/2014 15:00:00 10/04/2014 15:00:00 nulldate 2014100415 European External Action Service 090126248cb9fb9e N 090126248cb9fb9e /statements/docs/2014/141004_02_en.pdf 543379 pdf Y /statements/docs/2014/141004_02_en.pdf 2 /statements/docs/2014/141004_02_en.pdf /statements/docs/2014/141004_02_fr.pdf /statements/docs/2014/141004_02_zz.pdf N ID_INTERNAL N N
Statement by the Spokesperson on the need for ceasefire and political dialogue in Libya [531 KB]
15/08/2014

533 65744 1 _blank Remarks by High Representative Catherine Ashton on arrival at the extraordinary Foreign Affairs Council Remarks by High Representative Catherine Ashton on arrival at the extraordinary Foreign Affairs Council /statements/docs/2014/140815_01_en.pdf 08/15/2014 14:14:00 08/15/2014 14:14:00 08/15/2014 14:14:00 nulldate 2014081514 European External Action Service 090126248c77d0c8 N 090126248c77d0c8 /statements/docs/2014/140815_01_en.pdf 402334 pdf Y /statements/docs/2014/140815_01_en.pdf 2 /statements/docs/2014/140815_01_en.pdf /statements/docs/2014/140815_01_fr.pdf /statements/docs/2014/140815_01_zz.pdf N ID_INTERNAL N N
Remarks by High Representative Catherine Ashton on arrival at the extraordinary Foreign Affairs Council [393 KB]

The EEAS and the Libyan Crisis

The crisis in Libya in 2011 erupted barely six weeks after the creation of the EEAS. However, from early on in the conflict, the EEAS played an important role in establishing and maintaining political and diplomatic relations between the EU and the Libyan transitional authorities.

From the start of the crisis, the EU has stood by the people of Libya in their quest for freedom. The European Council has expressed several times its strong solidarity with the Libyan people and the victims. As fighting went on in the country, the EU remained at the forefront of international efforts to restore peace and stability in the country.

During the Libyan crisis, the EEAS Crisis Response Department led several missions on the ground to develop contacts with the NTC and make a preliminary assessment of immediate needs. Despite a complex political and security environment, the EEAS opened two EU offices in Libya: first in Benghazi (22 May 2011) and later in Tripoli (31 August 2011). The opening of these two EU Offices helped to increase the legitimacy of the pro-democracy movement.

Additionally, throughout the Libyan crisis, the EEAS Crisis Platform provided effective operational coordination, which allowed the EU to use more effectively all instruments at its disposal: political, diplomatic, military, economic, development, humanitarian. From March to October 2011, the Crisis Platform was convened at regular intervals to ensure the coherence of the EU response to the Libyan crisis.

Libya is now embarking on a historic transition process that should be based upon the respect for democratic values and human rights. The EU is ready to support the possibility for the Libyan people to realise their aspirations for a democratic society, to help Libya build a democratic constitutional state and to develop the rule of law. The transition should be a Libyan driven process to which the EU will contribute together with key partners. The objective is for Libya to rapidly embark on an orderly transition to democracy through a broad-based dialogue.

The INTERPOL Project

On 6th March 2013, senior EU and INTERPOL officials inaugurated the establishment of a real-time passport control capacity at Tripoli International Airport.

The EU and INTERPOL, in partnership with the Libyan authorities, have launched a key stage of a €2.2 million project funded by the EU's Instrument for Stability aimed at making tangible improvements to Libyan border security and helping security sector reform.

For the first time, the Libyan border control authorities will have the possibility to directly refer to INTERPOL databases and access the INTERPOL network to detect stolen and lost passports, and help identify wanted persons including suspected terrorists and international criminals.

The EEAS Crisis Response Division has played a key role in both identifying and supporting the implementation of the INTERPOL project, which has three main components:

the reinforcement of the Libyan INTERPOL National Central Bureau (NCB) and its network covering - inter alia - central drug, border security and migration services and the main Libyan border crossing points, including all international airports, seaports and main land border crossing points with Tunisia and Egypt;
the reinforcement of the criminal analysis capacity of the Criminal Investigation Department within the Ministry of the Interior and
a strategic study of the transnational organised crime and terrorist threats in Libya.

HR Speeches

UN Security Council Resolutions: