On Saturday, military and security leaders from eastern, western, and southern Libya issued a final communiqué for their Benghazi meeting.
The purpose of the meeting was to enhance confidence among the leaders, in support of the political process. As well as to move forward with creating a conducive environment for holding free and fair elections during this year, and the acceptance of the results by all parties.
According to the final statement, the attendees expressed their “full commitment to the conclusions of the dialogue between the 5+5 Joint Military Commission (JMC), and the military and security leaders held in Tunis and Tripoli.”
They reaffirmed their “readiness to provide all forms of support to secure all stages of the elections, in addition to supporting the efforts of the JMC, and the Libyan Liaison Committees on the withdrawal of mercenaries and foreign fighters.”
As well as agreeing to “initiate practical measures aimed at addressing the problems of internally displaced persons, missing persons, and ensuring their safe return through coordination among the concerned security agencies across Libya.”
The leaders exchanged information on the detainees held by both sides, and considered practical steps to exchange them as soon as possible.
They also expressed appreciation for the initiative of the General Command of the Libyan National Army (LNA) to release six detainees from the western region.
The attendees agreed to schedule the next meeting in Sebha, after the holy month of Ramadan.
Notably, the UN Envoy to Libya and Head of the United Nations Support Mission in Libya (UNSMIL), Abdoulaye Bathily urged the JMC and security and military commanders to “highlight their commitment to ensuring an environment conducive to holding elections.”
“Let’s close all doors to conflict and have the doors wide open for constructive dialogue and reconciliation,” he said during a meeting in Benghazi.
Bathily affirmed that his initiative is meant to “provide a platform to advance consensus around related matters and ensure the security of elections and people. Including female candidates and voters, so that they can exercise their political rights with no fear. Your renewed commitment to the people of Libya, to ensure a conducive security environment before, during, and after elections as well as acceptance of election results, must be clearly demonstrated.”
The UN Envoy urged the military leaders to “cooperate in creating the necessary conditions for peace and stability in Libya,” voicing his hope that this meeting “will be a start to move forward and agree to adopt a pact of honour shaping a conducive political environment and committing to secure, free, and fair elections in 2023, and to endorse the results.”
He went on to say, “In this holy month of compassion and forgiveness, I expect you to demonstrate fraternity and historical unity tonight, by putting practical steps for the safe return of the Internally Displaced Persons and the release of detainees.”
In addition, Bathily called for “opening the doors of prisons and detention centers in order to rejoice together in the houses and streets of Libya.”
The UN Envoy noted that the “current political stalemate needs time, perseverance, and patience. Your continued coordination and cooperation represent a great opportunity to sustain dialogue, build trust, and exchange views on how to provide a solid foundation for a political resolution to the decade-long crisis in Libya.”
He affirmed that “peace, stability, development, and prosperity are the fruits of true reconciliation, goodwill, and real compromise from the few for the greater good of the whole nation. Enmity, hate, conflict, and wars are all about destruction to your nations as much as souls. I wish that we will have fruitful discussions with concrete results for the way ahead to tackle these matters, which are critical to sustainable peace and stability in Libya.”
