Libyen

Overcoming the current political impasse in Libya can unleash much-needed progress in tackling myriad crises there, the UN chief said on Friday at a high-level meeting of the African Union in the Ethiopian capital.

The "5+5" military committee of officers from both main sides of the civil war has agreed on a coordination mechanism for the withdrawal of foreign forces in liaison with neighbouring Sudan and Niger. The procedural step would allow for joint coordination and data exchange to facilitate the full withdrawal of mercenaries and foreign fighters from Libya, the UN Libya envoy Abdoulaye Bathily announced after a meeting in Egypt.

Following the latest meeting of rival military leaders in Sirte, Libya, the head of the UN Mission in the country (UNSMIL) has called upon the national authorities to recommit to fully supporting the implementation of Libya’s 2020 ceasefire agreement.

The first step to legitimacy and security in Libya is to allow registered voters to cast their ballot in fresh elections, UN Special Representative Abdoulaye Bathily told the Security Council on Friday. 

The International Security Working Group on Libya met on Thursday to discuss the unification of the Libyan army and the implementation of the ceasefire agreement signed between the conflicting parties in the country.

[…] During the reporting period, the impasse over the leadership of the executive branch persisted … Meanwhile, the overall security situation in Tripoli and the western region remained tense … .

The clock is ticking for the UN Special Representative to Libya, Abdoulaye Bathily, who must outline his plans before his window of opportunity snaps shut.

[…] EUBAM said the training not only helped build capacity and exchange experiences, but also provided ample opportunity to strengthen links between Libyan counter-terrorism authorities and global counter-terrorism efforts.

Efforts continue to get political leaders in Libya to overcome their differences so that long-awaited presidential and parliamentary elections can finally take place, the Security Council heard on Tuesday. UN Special Representative Abdoulaye Bathily briefed ambassadors on the ongoing impasse and other obstacles to the vote, which was postponed last December.

Libya’s Tripoli-based prime minister Abdulhamid Dbeibah signed two deals with Turkey’s defence minister on Tuesday (25 October), building on a 2019 agreement that angered European nations. … The 2019 deal had seen Turkey claim large and potentially gas-rich areas of the eastern Mediterranean, angering Greece, France and the EU.