World powers, new Libya leaders to map out rebuilding plan

World powers, new Libya leaders to map out rebuilding plan

Libyan leaders who are championing the aftermath of the uprising that overthrew the embattled Muammar Gaddafi and the western powers on Thursday sat to map out strategies to rebuild Libya.

French President, Nicolas Sarkozy and British Prime Minister, David Cameron, are hosting delegations from 60 countries and world bodies.

Agenda

The agenda focused on political and economic reconstruction with western powers anxious to avoid mistakes made in Iraq after the uprising that engulfed the country sometime ago.

With Gaddafi driven from power this week in a popular revolt, the conference, tagged "Friends of Libya" is expected to give the ruling interim council its first platform to address the world.

Report says that Libyan National Transition Council Chairman, Mustafa Abdel Jalil would open the afternoon talks with an outline of the NTC's roadmap, which targets a new constitution, elections within 18 months and ways to avoid reprisals.

Jalil would later address an evening news conference along with Sarkozy and Cameron.

Unfreezing Libyan assets

The NTC is expected to push for rapid access to billions of dollars in foreign-held Libyan assets frozen under UN sanctions on Gaddafi.
The United States and Britain have won UN permission to unfreeze 1.5 billion dollars each of Libyan assets and France has received approval for the release of 1.5 billion euros out of a total 7.6 billion euros.

Humanitarian aid

While Thursday's talks are not supposed to be about funding pledges, some assistance or loans may be promised to aid the NTC, which was using money unfrozen earlier in France to buy wheat.

Also, as officials are adamant that the meeting is about securing political stability in Libya and doing things differently than in Iraq, French companies are planning a trade mission to get a head start on reconstruction contracts.

 "We have to help the National Transitional Council because the country is devastated, the humanitarian situation is difficult and there's a lack of water, electricity and fuel", French Foreign Minister, Alain Juppe told reporters.

The European Union, which has sent some 150 million euros in humanitarian aid to Libya, is preparing measures to help the NTC with justice, policing and security, education and financial management, EU sources say.

 US Secretary of State, Hillary Clinton will be at the talks along with European and African leaders and the heads of NATO, the United Nations and the European Union.

Russia and China, which had opposed NATO intervention, will also be represented at the conference but it was doubtful whether South Africa would attend.

REUTERS/Shakira/Ekata
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