The 5+5 Joint Military Committee (JMC), in the presence of the Special Representative of the Secretary-General of the United Nations for Libya, organized in Tripoli on Sunday a meeting between commanders of the military and security units in the western, eastern, and southern regions.
The meeting was the largest of its kind in Libya in a decade.
In a statement on Monday, the United Nations Support Mission in Libya (UNSMIL) said the meeting aimed to follow up on the pledges made by participants at a similar meeting that was held in Tunis in mid-March on preparing to hold elections this year.
The mission said Sunday’s talks “focused on the role of the military and security institutions in providing a conducive environment for advancing the political process and holding free and fair elections during 2023.”
Head of the UN mission Abdoulaye Bathily called on all commanders in the western, eastern, and southern regions to consolidate peace in Libya.
The commanders of security and military units will play a significant role in agreeing on security arrangements and other major issues related to the elections, he added.
At the Tripoli meeting, the gatherers agreed that dialogue should be Libyan–Libyan and inside Libya.
They rejected foreign interference in Libyan affairs and expressed full commitment to the outcomes of the dialogues between the military and security commanders that were decided during their first and second meetings held respectively in Tunis and Tripoli.
They rejected fighting and all forms of violence throughout the entirety of Libya’s territory, said the UN statement.
They committed to continuing work towards unifying the military institutions through the Chiefs of Staff; unifying the security institutions; and the rest of the state institutions.
They also agreed to form a unified government for all Libyan state institutions and to increase efforts to address the challenges facing those displaced and those affected by fighting and wars.
They agreed to complete national reconciliation and reparation efforts and committed to pursue elections and the need for the House of Representatives and the High Council of the State to complete the tasks entrusted with them.
The gatherers agreed to hold the next meeting in Benghazi during the month of Ramadan.
Head of the interim Government of National Unity (GNU) Abdulhamid al-Dbeibah said stability in Tripoli provided an opportunity to advance local and international efforts to unify the military and security institution.
It is also an opportunity to make progress in preparations to hold elections that would end the transitional period, achieve peace and resolve divisions and war in the country, he added.
GNU Interior Minister Imad Trabelsi, who chaired Sunday’s meeting, told Bathily his ministry was ready to secure the elections.
The government of stability, headed by Fathi Bashagha, also welcomed the meeting. Its Defense Minister Ahmed Houma said Sunday’s talks follow up previous efforts that have been made over the past two years with the aim of unifying the military and security institutions.
He called on Libyans to support such steps that would eventually achieve real national reconciliation.
Should the military be unified, then it will guarantee the success of any elections, he stressed.
