A delegation of Libyan ministers headed by Deputy Prime Minister for Security Affairs Al-Mahdi Hassan Muftah arrived in Cairo yesterday for meetings with Egyptian officials on ways to establish or strengthen state institutions in Libya.
Participating in the meetings along with Muftah are Foreign Minister Mohamed Al-Dairi, Minister of Education Fathi Al-Majbri, Justice Minister Al-Mabrouk Ghraira Omran and Minister of Finance and Planning Kamal Al-Hassi.
The delegation aims to benefit from Egypt’s experience in re-building state institutions post-revolution, given that Libya’s eastern neighbour has generally managed to maintain security and stability during its period of rehabilitation.
One of the primary goals of the visit is to devise a plan for formation of a solid security structure, giving particular attention to securing the areas along the Libyan-Egyptian border where smuggling and infiltration are continual problems.
In October, Egyptian media reported that Egypt had agreed to take on a role in the training of military personnel, although what form this would take has not been made clear. However the Egyptians stressed that the country’s military involvement in Libya would at no point extend as far as intervention.
There have also been unconfirmed reports that Egypt has agreed to set up a Libyan internal security service.
In addition to this, the Libyan government is seeking to strengthen cooperation between the two countries to tackle the rising influence of armed Islamist militias that are posing increasing challenges to security in Libya and in Egypt.
The Minister of Education is looking not only to build up the educational system inside Libya, but has to sort out the problems caused by the recent closure of the four 17 February Schools of the Martyrs by the Egyptian government which has left around 2,000 Libyan primary and secondary students in Egypt with nowhere to attend school.
By Libya Herald staff.
