Mauritanian President and African Union Chairman Mohamed Ould Ghazouani departed Tripoli for Mauritania after a brief visit lasting less than a day, during which he did not travel to Libya’s eastern region.
Political analyst Salah Al-Bakoush revealed that authorities in eastern Libya declined to host President Ghazouani’s delegation due to his prior rejection of a request from Osama Hammad, Prime Minister of the parallel Government. During a controversial visit to Mauritania, Hammad had sought access to Libyan assets there, including the Chinguitty Bank, formerly known as the Libyan Bank in Nouakchott.
Al-Bakoush further noted that Hammad had offered to assist Mauritania in addressing the Wagner forces, which have occasionally crossed into its territory and are accused of harboring rebel leaders from Mali.
Hammad’s late-August visit to Mauritania was depicted as official by pro-Government media, prompting Mauritania to clarify the situation. In a letter addressed to Libya’s Government of National Unity, the Mauritanian embassy in Tripoli stated that the meeting between President Ghazouani and Hammad occurred at Hammad’s request.
Additionally, the African Union’s delegation announced plans to hold consultations with the authorities in Benghazi and other Libyan parties as a follow-up to its discussions in Tripoli. The Mauritanian Presidency confirmed that it would soon visit the eastern city, although no specific date was provided.
This African Union tour aims to prepare for an upcoming meeting in Addis Ababa, which will serve as a foundation for a comprehensive peace process leading to the National Reconciliation Charter and ensuring Libya’s return to its previous roles in the region. The exact date of that meeting will be determined later, with particular emphasis on achieving the objectives of the National Reconciliation Conference, which remains a top priority.