Two years after the political turmoil in Libya, there are still many dangerous weapons in the country – a legacy of the Gaddafi regime posing a risk to the entire region. So the German Government is now intensifying its commitment to eliminating weapons and munitions in Libya.

On 19 August, a further‑training course for Libyan experts on dismantling chemical agents in an environmentally friendly way began in Lower Saxony. The focus is above all on using modern technology which protects people and the environment during the process of destroying dangerous chemical weapons. In Germany the Libyan experts are being familiarized with new technologies, and before the end of this year a state‑of‑the‑art demolition chamber with a flue gas purification system is to become operational in Libya. The United States and Germany will meet the project costs.

In this way, the German Government is supporting the North African country in its efforts to eliminate approx. 12,000 tonnes of chemical weapons. Back in 2012 the Federal Foreign Office and the Bundeswehr provided decontamination equipment and flew OPCW (Organisation for the Prohibition of Chemical Weapons in The Hague) inspectors to Libya several times.

Germany is also assisting Libya in controlling and eliminating conventional weapons. The German Government has so far made available approx. 29 million euros for the destruction of ammunition and mine clearance and for securing the country’s borders to prevent dangerous weapons from falling into the wrong hands. Through this engagement Germany is playing an important role in protecting the population and stabilising the region.