Mr. Fouad Ahmed Hneish, Executive Secretary of the North African Regional Capability (NARC), received the European Union Ambassador to Libya, Ambassador Nicola Orlando, at the headquarters of the Executive Secretariat in Tripoli on Wednesday. The meeting was attended by staff members of the Executive Secretariat and representatives of the Planning Element.
Following a welcoming address by the Executive Secretary, the Secretariat delivered a comprehensive presentation on the Regional Capability, outlining its permanent and standby components and highlighting its principal activities in recent years. These efforts culminated in the formal declaration of the Region’s operational readiness by the African Union in 2024.
During the ensuing discussions, the Secretariat addressed the issue of the North African Regional Capability’s exclusion from support under the African Peace and Security Architecture (APSA), which is funded by the European Union and channelled through the African Union to Regional Economic Communities and Regional Mechanisms.
Ambassador Orlando affirmed his intention to follow up on the matter with the relevant authorities within the European Union in order to clarify the reasons for the exclusion and to exert all possible efforts to address the situation.
This meeting forms part of ongoing efforts undertaken by member states—particularly Algeria—at the level of the African Union Commission and the European Union Delegation to the African Union, with the aim of ensuring the Region’s inclusion in the forthcoming support programme.
It is noteworthy that, over the past years, the Executive Secretariat has utilized the support it receives through the African Union Commission to finance numerous workshops and capacity-building activities.
At the conclusion of the visit, the Executive Secretary presented the Regional Capability’s commemorative shield to Ambassador Nicola Orlando.