Just a scant two years ago Libya was at risk of descending into a spiral of chaos and violence. Armed clashes between numerous competing militias were the order of the day, the country was divided. A constant influx of arms to the conflict parties made the situation worse still. By dint of perseverance, and with the close cooperation of the United Nations, visible progress has since been made – thanks not least to the First Berlin Conference on Libya in January 2020 and the Berlin Process. The ceasefire, which has held since last October, is one sign of this, as is the formation of a government of national Unity.

These developments are a success, and give the people of Libya cause for hope. At the same time, many challenges still lie ahead of us. For the further stabilisation of the country, it is crucial that elections take place as planned and that foreign fighters and mercenaries really do leave Libya. We will continue to work with the Libyan Government and the United Nations to achieve these goals. That is why we are today using the Second Berlin Conference on Libya to once again bring all stakeholders in Libya to the table. And we are ushering in a new phase of the Berlin Process, in which we no longer only talk about Libya, but in which we are now speaking with Libyan men and women about the future of their country. It is our aim to support the Libyan transitional government, so that it can take the fate of the country into its own hands. At the same time, we want to remind the international community of its voluntary commitment to support Libya on the road to lasting peace and stability.