MBABANE – Acting Prime Minister Thulisile Dladla has called on Libyans to take ownership of the country’s path to peace, stating that any long-term solution must be homegrown and inclusive.
Dladla was speaking on Thursday during a virtual meeting of the African Union Peace and Security Council, where she represented His Majesty King Mswati III and the Kingdom of Eswatini.
Libya has remained politically divided and unstable since the 2011 overthrow and killing of former leader Muammar Gaddafi. Armed conflict, fragmented governance, and a worsening humanitarian situation have plagued the country for over a decade. 
Dladla said His Majesty was deeply concerned about the ongoing crisis and reiterated Eswatini’s support for the unity and sovereignty of all African nations.
She described Libya as a nation with vast potential that continues to suffer under political fractures and insecurity, adding that the African Union has a duty to support efforts toward peace.
Eswatini, according to Dladla, backs a peaceful restoration of a unified Libyan state and urged all parties to respect the 2020 ceasefire agreement. She also called for the acceleration of preparations for elections that are free, fair, and credible.
She further appealed for the active involvement of civil society, youth, women, and traditional leaders in peace-building efforts and supported the AU’s reconciliation initiatives.
On migration, Dladla urged the revitalisation of the Tripartite Task Force to address the humanitarian conditions of African migrants and refugees held in Libyan detention centres.
