On Sunday, Libya’s Presidential Council called on the 5+5 Joint Military Commission (JMC) to ensure the complete reopening of the coastal road, and follow up on the security arrangements.
In a statement, the Presidential Council’s Spokeswoman, Najwa Bin Wahiba said “the opening of the coastal road comes after years of closure, in order to alleviate the suffering of citizens in eastern and western Libya, and in preparation for rebuilding the state and reuniting its parties.”
Bin Wahiba referred to the correspondence that took place between the Presidential Council in its capacity as the Supreme Commander of the Libyan Army, the JMC, the Prime Minister and Minister of Defence, Abdel-Hamid Dbaiba, and the Head of the Sirte & Al-Jufra Operations Room regarding the executive procedures for opening the coastal road. She confirmed that the opening came after months of continuous back and forth efforts, between the rival parties.
In recent years the oil-rich nation was split between two rival administrations backed by various foreign forces and mercenaries. Last October, rival parties agreed to implement a permanent ceasefire, and reopen the coastal road. In February, delegates at UN-led talks in Switzerland elected Dbaiba as interim Prime Minister, along with a three-member Presidency Council to help guide Libya to elections on 24 December.