European Union foreign ministers, meeting yesterday in Brussels, restated their strong support to the stabilisation of Libya, commitment to helping Egypt address current challenges and reiterated the EU’s position on the Middle East Peace Process.

Ministers discussed the political, security and economic situation in Libya, as well as EU plans to improve the management of migration through the Central Mediterranean. “We also decided today to respond positively to the invitation that the European Union has received, to join the African Union, the League of Arab States and the United Nations, transforming in this way the Troika into a Quartet to try to accompany a process that has to see the political transition in Libya coming to a positive moment and this requires a full positive Libyan ownership,” said EU High Representative Federica Mogherini.

EU Ministers also agreed to increase the EU’s engagement with Egypt, a key country in its region, and help it meet a number of challenges. “One is to help Egypt face the economic and social challenges. It is a country of 94 million people, half of which are below the age of 25, with a youth unemployment rate around 30%. Second, the work on the political track; democracy, human rights, rule of law, the work for an open society are all at the centre of our exchanges with the Egyptian authorities,” Mogherini said, highlighting that the EU will increase cooperation with Egypt on a number of other issues, including counter-terrorism, migration and regional security. She invited Egyptian Foreign Minister Sameh Shoukry to attend next month’s meeting of EU foreign ministers.

Ministers also reiterated the EU’s position on the Middle East Peace Process. “What does not change is the EU position on the two States, on the settlements, on Jerusalem, and it is useful for the European Union to restate its willingness to work with the international community, within the Quartet, with our friends in the United States, in the UN and in Moscow, with our Arab friends and interlocutors, starting from Egypt but also with Jordan, or the League of Arab States, or Saudi Arabia, to find the way to get to the two States,” stressed Mogherini, pledging to engage with the new US administration on the Middle East and to hold an Association Council with Israel.

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Press release

Mogherini press conference

Council conclusions on Libya (06-02-2017)

EU Neighbours – Libya

EU Neighbours – Egypt

EEAS – The EU and the Middle East Peace Process