Inside Story

What can France offer to end the crisis in Libya?

Libya’s rival leaders agree to hold elections in December during conference in Paris organised by the French president.

It was a meeting held in the hopes of a breakthrough for the political crisis in Libya. And late on Tuesday, French President Emmanuel Macron announced that rival Libyan leaders had agreed to hold elections in December.

Libya has seen years of violence and instability as two rival governments compete for influence and power.

Macron called Tuesday’s agreement an “essential step toward reconciliation”, calling the conference “historic”.

It was attended by several figures, including Prime Minister Fayez al-Sarraj of the UN-backed government in Tripoli and renegade General Khalifa Haftar, who backs the Tobruk-based administration.

So, will this end the deadlock in Libya?

Presenter: Hashem Ahelbarra

Guests:

Salah Al Bakkush – senior adviser to the negotiating team of the High Council of State

Renaud Girard – chief foreign correspondent for Le Figaro daily newspaper

Rhiannon Smith – managing director of Libya Analysis