Western 29 Nov 2016

Nov 29, 2016 | International actors

Field Marshal Khalifa Haftar visited Moscow on 27 November, reportedly with a request for Russian arms and military support for his Libyan National Army (LNA) forces. Russian media outlets report that during his visit Haftar is set to meet with senior figures including Russian Defence Minister Segei Shaigu, Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov, and the Russian National Security Council.  Putin is reportedly offering Haftar’s Libyan National Army forces jet fighters, attack helicopters, armoured vehicles and assorted missiles as well as air support for fighting ISIS.

On 26 November, the ambassadors of the EU, France, Germany, the Netherlands and the UK all visited Tripoli to present their credentials to Fayez Serraj, Prime Minister of the Government of National Accord (GNA). The same day, the US Special Envoy Jonathan Weiner (expected to be leaving soon with the outgoing administration) stressed the need to finance the GNA’s new Presidential Guard forces which he says will provide a critical difference to security in the capital.  Serraj also said that the meetings held in Rome last week, and before that in London, on Libya’s economic situation had still not produced a fruitful or functional relationship between the GNA and the Central Bank of Libya (CBL).