Latest news with #UN-recognised
Daily Mirror
19 hours ago
- Daily Mirror
'I've visited all 195 countries on Earth and these two stand out from the rest'
Cameron Mofid has recently completed his mission to visit every UN-recognised country and territory in the world and has now named two surprising countries among his favourites An intrepid explorer who's visited every country on Earth by the age of 25 has named two surprising countries among his favourites. Cameron Mofid, who hails from San Diego, California, set out on a mission to visit every UN-recognised country and territory in the world (a total of 195) while he was battling obsessive compulsive disorder (OCD) during the pandemic. In April, the plucky traveller ticked off his final nation when he and his friends visited the hermit kingdom of North Korea. With nearly 200 countries under his belt, picking a favourite may seem like an impossible task. However, two nations stood out in particular for Cameron, both of which carry some strong warnings from the Foreign Office (FCDO). The first nation that he highlighted was Algeria, a destination he described as "unbelievable". He told CNN: "It's one of my favourite countries in the whole world. The countries that receive the least amount of tourism are often the ones where you have the best experience, because you feel totally immersed in their culture." Cameron also expressed his appreciation for the Middle Eastern nation of Yemen, having visited the country in February 2023. He noted that walking through the streets was like "going back in time." He added: "To see people dress the same way that they were hundreds if not thousands of years ago. To see people living in mud houses, to see people still using flip phones." Algeria is in the north of Africa and is largely encompassed by the Sahara Desert, with the exception of the north, which is situated along the coast and is home to most of the population. Its rich history includes a number of Arab and Berber dynasties that ruled between the 8th and 15th centuries, prior to its links to the Ottoman Empire and later annexation by France in 1848. In terms of travel to Algeria, the FCDO has highlighted much of the country in green on its website. It means "see our travel advice before travelling", but the border areas carry orange and red advisories. It advises against all travel to within 30km of the country's borders with Libya, Mauritania, Mali, Niger, and certain provinces of Tunisia. In addition, the FCDO advises against all but essential travel within 30km of the rest of the Tunisian border. A comparatively new state, Yemen is located in Western Asia on the southern end of the Arabian Peninsula, bordering both the Gulf of Aden and the Red Sea, south of Saudi Arabia. It has experienced a political crisis since 2011. It continues to be in the throes of a brutal civil war that has reportedly resulted in the deaths of more than 150,000 people and led to a humanitarian crisis that has seen 23 million people requiring aid. The Foreign Office's travel advice for Yemen is resolute. It advises against all travel to Yemen and urges anyone in the country to leave "immediately", citing "unpredictable security conditions". It said terrorist attacks are very likely in Yemen, as well as a "very high and constant threat" of kidnapping, noting that propaganda produced by Al-Qaida in the Arabian Peninsula (AQAP) has urged the kidnapping of westerners.
Euronews
11-07-2025
- Politics
- Euronews
Should the European Union hold talks with Khalifa Haftar?
European Commissioner for Migration Magnus Brunner and three ministers from EU countries were expelled from Libya on Tuesday due to a "protocol problem", according to Brussels. Sources told Euronews the issue arose after they wanted to meet General Khalifa Haftar, who controls large parts of eastern Libya. Following a meeting with the Libyan government of national unity (GNU) in Tripoli, the European delegation was scheduled to meet with Haftar in Benghazi to discuss migration. However, Haftar apparently tried to force the EU's hand by imposing the presence of his ministers, which then led to the expulsion of European officials as "personae no gratae". "It was simply a ruse on Haftar's part to try and legitimise his government and the civilian face of his military dictatorship", says Tarek Megerisi, senior researcher at the European Council on Foreign Relations (ECFR). "He declared European diplomats personae non gratae and essentially sent them back to Europe because he was unable to use them for this political charade he was trying to pull off," he believes. A divided country After the civil war and the fall of Muammar Gaddafi in 2011, Libya eventually became divided into two. In the west of the country, the UN-recognised government of national unity is led by Prime Minister Abdel Hamid Dbeibah. The east is controlled by Haftar, head of the self-proclaimed Libyan National Army. And Brussels formally recognises only the government in Tripoli. "The European Union is working with the government of national unity, which emerged from the United Nations mediation process as an internationally recognised national executive. The UN is engaging with the authorities throughout the country in line with our One Libya policy", said Anouar El Anouni, European Commission spokesman for foreign affairs. However, faced with the absence of centralised governance, territorial division and the challenge of migration, the EU is also engaging with non-state actors. "At a lower level, the EU is also interacting with militia leaders and groups running detention centres. At the level of member states and some EU representation, they engage with the Haftar family as the de facto rulers of eastern Libya, for what they claim is political realism," says Tarek Megerisi. The European Union is cooperating with Libya to combat illegal immigration and smuggling networks. "The EU has been working, both the EU and the member states, particularly Italy, with the Libyan coastguard in the west to try and reduce migratory flows in one way or another," James Moran, former EU ambassador to Libya and associate researcher at the Centre for European Policy Studies (CEPS), told Euronews. "The EU has also supported Libyan efforts to take back migrants once they are back on Libyan soil. This, of course, has been controversial because there have been a lot of questions about human rights, about the treatment they receive when they are in Libya," he adds. The NGO Amnesty International has accused Brussels of complicity in human rights violations against migrants in Libya. A Russian proxy In recent years, crossings to Europe from eastern Libya have been on the increase. "Migration concerns are well known throughout Europe. And since (Haftar) controls such a large part of Libya's coastline, I think it was logical to talk to him," Moran said. "What wouldn't have made sense would have been to give him any kind of recognition, de facto or otherwise," he explained. However, questions remain about the EU's need to meet Haftar, whose links to Moscow and President Vladimir Putin are well-established. "We are in the process of strengthening a Russian proxy that is antagonistic to European interests. And so, once all the mess of the current crisis is sorted out, it's pretty clear that what Europe really needs in Libya is a stable and sovereign government," Megerisi told Euronews. In fact, the Haftar family is exploiting migration to try to obtain concessions from the EU, according to Megerisi. In recent days, the Greek islands have seen a large influx of migrants from Libya, prompting the EU member state to suspend asylum applications from the North African country.
Euronews
11-07-2025
- Politics
- Euronews
hould the European Union hold talks with Khalifa Haftar?
European Commissioner for Migration Magnus Brunner and three ministers from EU countries were expelled from Libya on Tuesday due to a "protocol problem", according to Brussels. Sources told Euronews the issue arose after they wanted to meet General Khalifa Haftar, who controls large parts of eastern Libya. Following a meeting with the Libyan government of national unity (GNU) in Tripoli, the European delegation was scheduled to meet with Haftar in Benghazi to discuss migration. However, Haftar apparently tried to force the EU's hand by imposing the presence of his ministers, which then led to the expulsion of European officials as "personae no gratae". "It was simply a ruse on Haftar's part to try and legitimise his government and the civilian face of his military dictatorship", says Tarek Megerisi, senior researcher at the European Council on Foreign Relations (ECFR). "He declared European diplomats personae non gratae and essentially sent them back to Europe because he was unable to use them for this political charade he was trying to pull off," he believes. A divided country After the civil war and the fall of Muammar Gaddafi in 2011, Libya eventually became divided into two. In the west of the country, the UN-recognised government of national unity is led by Prime Minister Abdel Hamid Dbeibah. The east is controlled by Haftar, head of the self-proclaimed Libyan National Army. And Brussels formally recognises only the government in Tripoli. "The European Union is working with the government of national unity, which emerged from the United Nations mediation process as an internationally recognised national executive. The UN is engaging with the authorities throughout the country in line with our One Libya policy", said Anouar El Anouni, European Commission spokesman for foreign affairs. However, faced with the absence of centralised governance, territorial division and the challenge of migration, the EU is also engaging with non-state actors. "At a lower level, the EU is also interacting with militia leaders and groups running detention centres. At the level of member states and some EU representation, they engage with the Haftar family as the de facto rulers of eastern Libya, for what they claim is political realism," says Tarek Megerisi. The European Union is cooperating with Libya to combat illegal immigration and smuggling networks. "The EU has been working, both the EU and the member states, particularly Italy, with the Libyan coastguard in the west to try and reduce migratory flows in one way or another," James Moran, former EU ambassador to Libya and associate researcher at the Centre for European Policy Studies (CEPS), told Euronews. "The EU has also supported Libyan efforts to take back migrants once they are back on Libyan soil. This, of course, has been controversial because there have been a lot of questions about human rights, about the treatment they receive when they are in Libya," he adds. The NGO Amnesty International has accused Brussels of complicity in human rights violations against migrants in Libya. A Russian proxy In recent years, crossings to Europe from eastern Libya have been on the increase. "Migration concerns are well known throughout Europe. And since (Haftar) controls such a large part of Libya's coastline, I think it was logical to talk to him," Moran said. "What wouldn't have made sense would have been to give him any kind of recognition, de facto or otherwise," he explained. However, questions remain about the EU's need to meet Haftar, whose links to Moscow and President Vladimir Putin are well-established. "We are in the process of strengthening a Russian proxy that is antagonistic to European interests. And so, once all the mess of the current crisis is sorted out, it's pretty clear that what Europe really needs in Libya is a stable and sovereign government," Megerisi told Euronews. In fact, the Haftar family is exploiting migration to try to obtain concessions from the EU, according to Megerisi. In recent days, the Greek islands have seen a large influx of migrants from Libya, prompting the EU member state to suspend asylum applications from the North African country.
Al-Ahram Weekly
11-07-2025
- Politics
- Al-Ahram Weekly
UN calls for 'immediate deescalation' in Libyan capital - Region
The UN mission in Libya called for "immediate deescalation", citing reports of armed forces being mobilised in the capital and its surroundings that have raised fears of renewed violence. In mid-May, there were clashes in Tripoli between forces loyal to the government and powerful armed groups wanting to dismantle it. In a statement published late on Wednesday on X, the UN Support Mission in Libya (UNSMIL) said there were "increased reports of continued military build-up in and around Tripoli". It said it "strongly urges all parties to refrain from using force, particularly in densely populated areas, and to avoid any actions or political rhetoric that could trigger escalation or lead to renewed clashes". It called for all parties to "engage in good faith" in deescalation and for the "swift implementation of security arrangements" set out during efforts to end the May violence. Those clashes left six people dead, the United Nations said. "Forces recently deployed in Tripoli must withdraw without delay," UNSMIL said. Libya has been gripped by conflict since the 2011 overthrow and killing of longtime ruler Moamer Kadhafi in a NATO-backed uprising. The country remains split between Prime Minister Abdelhamid Dbeibah's UN-recognised government based in Tripoli and a rival administration based in the east. In a TV interview on Monday, Dbeibah called for armed groups to vacate the areas under their control. Among the sites held by armed factions are the Mitiga airport in the east of the capital, which is controlled by the powerful Radaa Force. "Dialogue -- not violence -- remains the only viable path toward achieving lasting peace, stability in Tripoli and across Libya", the UNSMIL statement said. Follow us on: Facebook Instagram Whatsapp Short link:
Libya Review
10-07-2025
- Politics
- Libya Review
Greece & Italy Blame EU Commission for Libya Visit Collapse
A European Union initiative to curb irregular migration from North Africa unravelled this week after Libya's eastern authorities expelled EU Migration Commissioner Magnus Brunner and his delegation from Benghazi. The incident has triggered diplomatic fallout across Europe and highlighted growing fractures within the EU's approach to the migration crisis, according to Politico newspaper. Brunner, who was leading a high-level delegation that included interior ministers from Italy, Greece, and Malta, was declared 'persona non grata' by forces aligned with Field Marshal Khalifa Haftar. The group had arrived in Benghazi after holding talks with Libya's UN-recognised government in Tripoli. The eastern Libyan administration, not internationally recognised, objected to the EU delegation's refusal to include its senior officials in the meetings. According to sources familiar with the visit, Haftar demanded the presence of his government ministers in the talks. When the EU officials reportedly agreed only on the condition of no photographs being taken, Haftar rejected the terms and ordered the group to leave. The diplomatic debacle has sparked a blame game across EU capitals. Greek Foreign Minister Giorgos Gerapetritis said the mission was entirely coordinated by the European Commission, citing a 'failure to adhere to diplomatic protocol.' Italian Interior Minister Matteo Piantedosi echoed similar concerns, attributing the cancellation to Libyan resentment over 'excessive zeal' by EU officials. A Commission spokesperson described the incident as a 'protocol issue' but affirmed that the EU remains committed to its engagement in Libya. Greece, facing increasing arrivals from Libya via Crete, has announced emergency measures. Prime Minister Kyriakos Mitsotakis confirmed a new law suspending asylum application reviews for arrivals from North Africa by sea for three months. The incident raises serious questions over the EU's coordination, credibility, and effectiveness in addressing migration challenges in Libya. Tags: benghazieuGreeceItalykhalifa haftarlibya
