On Wednesday, the Minister of Interior (MoI) of the Government of National Accord (GNA), Fathi Bashagha, held a meeting in Misrata with the US Ambassador to Libya, Richard Norland, to discuss the progress made in the security, political, and economic dialogues.
The meeting was attended by the commander of the Volcano of Rage’s field operations room and member of the (5+5) Joint Military Commission, Major General Ahmed Abu Shahma.
In a statement, the MoI said on its official website that the meeting touched on enhancing prospects for cooperation between Libya and the United States, especially in the security field.
On his part, Norland stressed the importance of Libyans finding suitable compromises within the Libyan Political Dialogue Forum (LPDF) and implementing the electoral roadmap as elections approach in December 2021.
Noting the importance of confidence building measures that can support the momentum of the intra-Libyan dialogue, the US ambassador urged other efforts including steps like re-opening the coastal road, to build on the ceasefire agreement.
Norland confirmed that the US welcomed the unanimous agreement announced today by the board of the Central Bank of Libya on a new unified exchange rate. He expressed hope that this move could give momentum to LPDF talks and make progress on implementing the ceasefire agreement.
Norland stated, “Libyans have come a long way in just a few months from instability and armed conflict to genuine dialogue and a ceasefire that is still holding. I urge all Libyans to work together, find appropriate compromises, and support the road to elections and to a unified, stable Libya with a government that is accountable to its citizens.