28 October – 3 November: Head of UNSMIL meets Deputy PM of GNA

Nov 4, 2020 | International actors

On 1 November, Acting Head of the United Nations Support Mission in Libya (UNSMIL), Stephanie Williams met with Deputy Prime Minister of the Government of National Accord (GNA), Ahmed Maiteeq in Istanbul to discuss expected outcomes from the Libyan Political Dialogue Forum (LPDF). The two sides reaffirmed the necessity of increasing the ‘productivity and effectiveness’ of all Libyan government institutions, and the importance of ‘chart[ing] an electoral course based on the constitution within the shortest possible timeframe…with a view to moving Libya to a new political stage of stability’.

On 1 November, head of the High Council of State (HCS), Khalid al-Mishri and an accompanying delegation arrived in Doha to meet with the emir of Qatar, Tamim bin Hamad al-Thani, and the Speaker of the Qatari Shura Council, Ahmed bin Abdullah bin Zaid al-Mahmoud, to discuss ways to strengthen bilateral relations in the context of the latest developments in Libya. Al-Mahmoud reaffirmed Qatar’s support for a comprehensive political solution that would achieve stability in Libya according to the 2015 Libyan Political Agreement (LPA), the relevant United Nations Security Council resolutions and the Berlin Framework of 2020.

On 1 November, the Russian representative to the UNSC, Vasilly Nebenzia, reportedly announced Russia’s full support for the exit of all foreign mercenaries from Libya. Nebenzia also said that ‘mercenary private companies were brought to Libya from countries which have been pointing the finger at other countries for sending their mercenaries to Libya’.  On 2 November, the US Ambassador to Libya, Richard Norland, travelled to Moscow to meet with Russian counterparts to discuss ‘ways we can support a Libyan-led, UN-facilitated resolution of the conflict in Libya’.

On 31 October, Speaker of the eastern-based House of Representatives (HoR) Aqeela Saleh arrived in Cairo with an accompanying delegation to hold talks on Libya’s latest developments with Egyptian officials. The visit would focus on strengthening bilateral relations between the two countries in the context of the latest developments in Libya. On 29 October, Saleh also met with Maltese Prime Minister Evarist Bartolo. During the meeting, Bartolo renewed Malta’s commitment to Libya’s stabilisation process, and Saleh acknowledged Malta’s efforts to support Libya. Saleh added that Libya now needs Malta’s support in order to achieve a peaceful political transition. Both sides agreed on the potential for a strong partnership in the reconstruction of Libya.