On Monday, Libya’s Ministry of Foreign Affairs of the Government of National Unity, greenlighted the appointment of Italian diplomat Nicola Orlando as the European Union’s (EU) Special Ambassador and Commissioner in Libya, according to the Italian NOVA news agency.
Previously, various Libyan and international insiders had conveyed Tripoli’s initial hesitancy to give the nod to Orlando, especially as a successor to the seasoned Spanish diplomat, José Sabadell. However, the pendulum swung in Orlando’s favor after the Libyan authorities received what they termed as “constructive clarifications” on the subject. This shift was documented in the Foreign Ministry’s Resolution No. 14790.196.20.
On another front, the European Commission’s Spokesperson for Foreign Affairs and Security Policy, Nabila Massrali, has been tight-lipped, neither confirming nor refuting speculations surrounding the potential nomination of Patrick Simonnet, the erstwhile EU Ambassador to nations like Saudi Arabia, Bahrain, and Oman.
Addressing the media last week, Massrali said, “We can verify that Ambassador José Sabadell has duly wrapped up his tenure in Libya, culminating his regular service term. Our strategy is to declare ambassadorial appointments after all procedural formalities are squared away, and post obtaining requisite approvals, ensuring the new envoy is primed for their impending role.”
Orlando, a 1975-born diplomat, has been navigating the diplomatic corridors since 2001. His noteworthy tenure includes serving as the Deputy Ambassador in Tripoli between 2017-2019, a period when Giuseppe Perrone, now Italy’s ambassador to Iran, was at the helm. In a strategic move, May 2021 saw Orlando being designated as a special envoy to Libya, a decision backed by Italy’s then Minister of Foreign Affairs and International Cooperation, Luigi Di Maio.
The final stamp on Orlando’s new role as the EU’s Ambassador to Libya, stepping into the shoes of Sabadell, was endorsed by the EU’s top diplomat, High Representative for Foreign Affairs and Security Policy, Josep Borrell, in April.
