The Libyan Center for Research and Studies organizes the second conference on strategic studies entitled (The African Dimension in Libyan Foreign Policy): The Libyan Center for Research and Studies organized yesterday, Wednesday, September 28, 2022, the second conference on strategic studies entitled (The African Dimension in Libyan Foreign Policy) in the Hassan Al-Faqih Hassan Hall in the Old City – Tripoli. The opening session activities began at exactly ten o’clock in the morning, with verses from the Holy Qur’an recited to the audience by Sheikh Muhammad Al-Arabi. Then the audience stood in respect for the national anthem. After that, the opening session’s speeches began, the first of which was the speech of the Preparatory Committee, delivered by Professor Al-Koni Abu Ajila Al-Koni, then the speech of the Scientific Committee by Professor Dr. Al-Bashir Ali Al-Kout, then the speech of the Libyan Center for Research and Studies, presented by Professor Jamal Ahmida Duwaish, Vice President of the Center. After that, a short video was shown explaining the biography of the late Ambassador Juma Ibrahim Amer (former Libyan Ambassador to the African Union), and one of the most prominent Libyan diplomats in African affairs, who passed away due to his infection with the Corona virus on April 29 2021 AD, and the video was followed by the awarding of an honorary shield to the family of the deceased – may God have mercy on him – in honor of his efforts in serving Libyan diplomacy for more than four decades.
After the opening session ended, the first scientific session began entitled: The Historical Dimension and the Strategic Importance of Africa in Libyan Foreign Policy (An Evaluative View), and the session was chaired by Professor Dr. Al-Bashir Al-Kout, and at the beginning there were two key lectures, the first by Professor Dr. Youssef Al-Sawani – Professor of International Relations at the University of Tripoli – entitled (Foreign Policy and National Security: National Interest and Challenges of Reality), and the second lecture was by Mr. Muhammad Al-Taher Siala (former Minister of Foreign Affairs) and entitled (Why Africa), in which he explained the importance of Africa for Libyan foreign policy, and the repercussions of the distancing that has occurred in these years from the African space.
Then the second part of the first scientific session was a research paper by Dr. Nasreddin Al-Basheer Al-Arabi (from Al-Marqab University) entitled (The Historical and Social Dimension in Libya’s Relations with Sub-Saharan Africa), followed by a research paper by researcher Professor Wissam Saleh (a researcher in African studies) whose paper was entitled (Libya’s Foreign Policy towards African Regional Groups), followed by an intervention by Ambassador Saleh Sahboun (former Libyan Ambassador to the African Union) entitled (Libya’s Foreign Policy towards African Groups), and the last intervention in the first session was by Professor Ibrahim Al-Rabo (a member of the Steering Committee of the World Islamic Call Society), in which he spoke about the efforts of the Islamic Call Society in Africa, which varied from scientific, cultural, charitable, advocacy, media, and other great efforts. The second scientific session, entitled (Priorities and Political, Security and Economic Dimensions of Libyan Foreign Policy in Africa), was then chaired by Professor Dr. Youssef Al-Sawani. The first research paper was presented by Dr. Abdulnabi Al-Suwai’i (from the Libyan Academy) entitled (Priorities of Libyan Foreign Policy in Africa). After that, Dr. Kamal Salem Al-Shukri (Professor at the Libyan Academy) participated with a research paper entitled (Dimensions of Libyan Foreign Policy in Africa), while the third research paper was presented by Professor Mahmoud Al-Mahdi Al-Ghatmi (from the Libyan Center for Research and Studies) entitled (Libyan Foreign Policy in Africa: Models of Success and Failure). These research papers were followed by a discussion session that lasted for a quarter of an hour. Then came the proceedings of the third and final scientific session entitled (Approaches to Rebuilding Libyan Foreign Policy), which was chaired by Dr. Kamal Al-Shukri. Professor Dr. Khair Milad Abu Bakr delivered the only paper in the session entitled (Challenges Facing Libyan Foreign Policy in Africa). At the end of the conference, Dr. Abdulnabi Al-Suwai’i delivered the closing statement of the conference, which included recommendations drafted by the scientific committee in consultation. With the participating researchers. In conclusion, the participating researchers, members of the scientific committee, and members of the preparatory committee were honored with certificates of appreciation for their active participation in the conference proceedings. The conference proceedings will be published in a book to serve the field of African studies in Libya.
