President Abdel Fattah El Sisi received on Tuesday speaker Aguila Saleh and Khalifa Haftar, commander of the Libyan Arab Armed Forces, in Cairo, the Egyptian leader’s office said.
Mr El Sisi pushed for the holding of elections as scheduled in December and said his government would continue its efforts “with all Libyan brothers … to hold the significant presidential and parliamentary vote by the end of this year”.
He also reiterated calls for foreign forces and mercenaries to be pulled out of the oil-rich country.
The UN has estimated there have been 20,000 foreign forces and mercenaries, mostly Syrian, Turkish, Russian and Sudanese, in the North African nation. The presence of foreign fighters and mercenaries is a major hurdle to holding the planned vote.
Mr Saleh and Gen Hafter, whose forces run most of Libya’s eastern and southern regions and oil facilities, are close allies to Egypt.
In recent months, Mr El Sisi’s government has also reached out to officials in western Libya.
UN-sponsored peace talks brought about a ceasefire last October and installed an interim government that is expected to lead the country into December elections.
The ceasefire deal also required the withdrawal of foreign fighters and mercenaries within three months, a deadline that was never met.
Libyan lawmakers have failed to finalise a legal framework for voting to take place, throwing the election schedule into doubt.
With mounting international pressure, the parliament earlier this month adopted a controversial presidential electoral law and said it is in the process of finalising it for parliamentary elections, according to the UN's envoy to Libya.
However, the High Council of State, an executive institution that among other duties proposes electoral laws, complained the law was adopted without consulting its members, which could derail the road map.
US special envoy to Libya Richard Norland urged the country’s leaders to compromise to meet the people’s expectations and hold elections at the end of the year.
Libya has been wracked by chaos since a Nato-backed uprising toppled longtime dictator Muammar Qaddafi in 2011 and split the oil-rich country between rival governments, each backed by armed groups and foreign governments.
Recent winners
2002 Giselle Khoury (Colombia)
2004 Nathalie Nasralla (France)
2005 Catherine Abboud (Oceania)
2007 Grace Bijjani (Mexico)
2008 Carina El-Keddissi (Brazil)
2009 Sara Mansour (Brazil)
2010 Daniella Rahme (Australia)
2011 Maria Farah (Canada)
2012 Cynthia Moukarzel (Kuwait)
2013 Layla Yarak (Australia)
2014 Lia Saad (UAE)
2015 Cynthia Farah (Australia)
2016 Yosmely Massaad (Venezuela)
2017 Dima Safi (Ivory Coast)
2018 Rachel Younan (Australia)
Tonight's Chat on The National
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Intellectually curious and thought-provoking, Tonight’s Chat moves the conversation forward.
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Key findings of Jenkins report
- Founder of the Muslim Brotherhood, Hassan al Banna, "accepted the political utility of violence"
- Views of key Muslim Brotherhood ideologue, Sayyid Qutb, have “consistently been understood” as permitting “the use of extreme violence in the pursuit of the perfect Islamic society” and “never been institutionally disowned” by the movement.
- Muslim Brotherhood at all levels has repeatedly defended Hamas attacks against Israel, including the use of suicide bombers and the killing of civilians.
- Laying out the report in the House of Commons, David Cameron told MPs: "The main findings of the review support the conclusion that membership of, association with, or influence by the Muslim Brotherhood should be considered as a possible indicator of extremism."
South Africa World Cup squad
South Africa: Faf du Plessis (c), Hashim Amla, Quinton de Kock (w), JP Duminy, Imran Tahir, Aiden Markram, David Miller, Lungi Ngidi, Anrich Nortje, Andile Phehlukwayo, Dwaine Pretorius, Kagiso Rabada, Tabraiz Shamsi, Dale Steyn, Rassie van der Dussen.
BMW M5 specs
Engine: 4.4-litre twin-turbo V-8 petrol enging with additional electric motor
Power: 727hp
Torque: 1,000Nm
Transmission: 8-speed auto
Fuel consumption: 10.6L/100km
On sale: Now
Price: From Dh650,000
AI traffic lights to ease congestion at seven points to Sheikh Zayed bin Sultan Street
The seven points are:
Shakhbout bin Sultan Street
Dhafeer Street
Hadbat Al Ghubainah Street (outbound)
Salama bint Butti Street
Al Dhafra Street
Rabdan Street
Umm Yifina Street exit (inbound)
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