Libya Contact Group

Libya Contact Group
The Libya Contact Group was an international collective established to support the Libyan National Transitional Council in their effort to overthrow the regime of Muammar Gaddafi in Libya. It was hosted by western nations and members of the Arab League, and known by a variety of other names including the Friends of Libya and the International Contact Group for Libya.
Formation
The Contact Group was set up following the London Conference on Libya in March 2011. The conference included United Nations Secretary General Ban Ki Moon, prominent delegates from the Arab League and from European countries, U.S. Secretary of State Hillary Clinton, and representatives from NATO. Leaders of the Libyan National Transitional Council including Mahmoud Jibril were consulted prior to the conference but did not attend.
Contact Group
Its first three meetings were in Doha, Rome and Abu Dhabi.
In its fourth meeting, held in Istanbul in July 2011 and attended by American Secretary of State Hillary Clinton, the Contact Group announced its participants' agreement to deal with the Libyan National Transitional Council, the major coalition of anti-Gaddafi forces, as the "legitimate governing authority in Libya".
The fifth meeting was planned to take place in New York on September, but the events in Tripoli forced the members to meet again in Istanbul on extraordinary meeting on 25 August to set up road map for construction of "new Libya".
The group recognized the progress made by the Libyan people, NTC, and NATO forces, and underlined the importance of continued support from all entities in the formation of a free and democratic Libya.
Friends of Libya
At the meeting on 1 September 2011 in Paris, the Contact Group was dissolved and replaced with a new international meeting group called the Friends of Libya.
A second Friends of Libya conference was held on September 20, 2011 in New York City.
Members
Countries
Libya (NTC)
Belgium, Luxembourg, and Netherlands shared a rotating Benelux seat. Denmark, Norway, and Sweden had a similar arrangement, sharing a Nordic seat.
Observers
(Vatican City)
Bulgaria was originally an observer, but it began sitting as a full member at the June meeting in Abu Dhabi and thereafter. South Africa boycotted the September meeting in Paris.
International organisations
Observers
African Union
World Bank
Arab League, Gulf Cooperation Council and Organisation of Islamic Cooperation were originally observers, but they began sitting as a full members probably from 29 of July.
Last meeting in Paris
President of France Nicolas Sarkozy invited several new countries and one international organisation on the last meeting of Libya Contact Group:
Union for the Mediterranean
Nigeria and Saudi Arabia reportedly did attend.
See also
Friends of Syria Group
References
External links
CONTACT GROUP ON LIBYA: ROME MEETING – PARTICIPANTS LIST
Libya Contact Group: Chair's statement
Co-Chairs’ Statement
Appendix
Libya Contact Group meeting concludes
Fourth meeting of the Libya Contact Group held in İstanbul
United Nations Security Council Report
First Libyan Civil War
Foreign relations of Libya
Diplomatic umbrella groups
Organizations established in 2011