UK envoy visits Libya’s Fatwa House

British Ambassador Martin Longden engages in discussions with Grand Mufti Sadiq Al-Ghariani during their meeting at Libya’s Dar Al-Ifta​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​

The British Ambassador to Libya, Martin Longden, held talks with Libya’s Grand Mufti Sadiq Al-Ghariani at Dar Al-Ifta (Fatwa House) headquarters in Tripoli on Thursday, marking a significant diplomatic engagement with one of Libya’s key religious authorities.

During the high-level meeting, Grand Mufti Al-Ghariani emphasised the critical importance of holding constitutional elections as the primary path towards ending Libya’s protracted transitional period and addressing endemic corruption, according to a statement released by the Fatwa House.

The Grand Mufti, who has been a prominent voice in Libya’s political discourse since the 2011 revolution, called for more robust support from permanent UN Security Council members, including Britain, to help facilitate the electoral process.

This appeal comes amid ongoing challenges in organising national elections, which were previously postponed in December 2021 due to disagreements over electoral laws and candidate eligibility.

In discussing Libya’s religious landscape, Al-Ghariani highlighted the nation’s historical adherence to the Maliki school of Islamic jurisprudence, one of the four major Sunni schools of thought.

He emphasised how this theological foundation has historically served as a unifying force across Libya’s diverse regions, from Tripolitania to Cyrenaica and Fezzan.

The religious leader expressed scepticism about what he described as superficial reconciliation initiatives, arguing that genuine stability could only be achieved through a constitutional framework backed by legitimate elections.

This position reflects ongoing debates about various reconciliation efforts launched by different international mediators.

The meeting’s details were disclosed through an official Fatwa House statement, whilst the British Embassy in Tripoli and Ambassador Longden have not yet issued their own communiqué regarding the discussions.

The timing of this diplomatic meeting carries particular significance as Libya continues to navigate complex political challenges, including parallel governments in the east and west of the country, and international efforts to unify various state institutions.​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​

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