The Senior advisor to U.S. President Donald Trump on Arab and African Affairs, Massad Boulos, announced that he had gathered senior officials from western and eastern Libya in the French capital, Paris, for what he described as “productive discussions” aimed at supporting Libyan efforts to achieve national unity and long-term stability.

This is the first official announcement of a meeting held on January 28 at the Élysée Palace through French-American coordination, bringing together two delegations, one headed by the Deputy Commander of the General Command, Lieutenant General Saddam Haftar, and the other headed by the Advisor to the Government of National Unity, Ibrahim Dabaiba.

Boulos said in a post on his X account that last week's meeting in Paris was “consistent with President Trump's broader peace agenda,” stressing that “Libyan efforts are needed for Libya to thrive and build a prosperous economy and future for its people.”

What was discussed at the Paris meeting?

The French magazine Monde Afrique previously reported that the meeting came as part of attempts to advance the political reconciliation process, revive the political process, and work to unify Libyan state institutions in preparation for the formation of a unified government. The magazine noted that the discussions focused on the future of political institutions and the nature of their roles, the mechanisms for distributing powers among them, and examining options for forming a unified government capable of narrowing the gap between the east and west of the country.

The magazine added that the Paris meeting achieved tangible progress despite the persistence of some points of disagreement, noting that, according to its sources, the two sides agreed to end the role of House of Representatives Speaker Aguila Saleh and dismiss him within the framework of a new political process, with a timetable set for this without disclosing its details.

The same sources also pointed to a preliminary agreement to reduce the role of the Presidential Council and restrict its powers, with a proposal to replace it with a joint body representing both sides, or to change the president and his two deputies if the first proposal cannot be implemented.

Meanwhile, the French website Africa Intelligence reported that the talks aimed to reach understandings on unifying national institutions, noting that the meeting was coordinated by the French president's special envoy to Libya, Paul Soler, and Boulos.