The United Nations Support Mission in Libya (UNSMIL) has announced that the fourth round of the Libyan (5+5) Joint Military Commission (JMC) talks began this morning at the Palais des Nations in Geneva with the presence and participation of the Acting Special Representative of the Secretary-General of the United Nations (ASRSG) and Head of UNSMIL, Stephanie Williams.
The work of the 5+5 JMC, the security track, is one of the three intra-Libyan tracks that UNSMIL is working on, along with the economic and political tracks, which emerged from the 2020 Berlin Conference on Libya.
“These tracks were endorsed by Security Council Resolution 2510 (2020), which called on both parties to reach an agreement for a permanent ceasefire.” The statement indicated.
It said that the launching of this round of talks is marked by in person meetings between the delegations of the two parties to the conflict in Libya, adding that the meeting began with the playing of the Libyan national anthem, followed by opening remarks by Williams and the heads of both delegations.
“The deliberations of this round will continue until the 24th of this month. UNSMIL hopes that the two delegations will reach a solution to all outstanding issues in order to achieve a complete and permanent ceasefire across Libya.” The statement reads.
Meanwhile, UNSMIL recalled the appeal of United Nations Secretary-General António Guterres, on 23 March, calling for a global ceasefire and for all warring parties to put aside feelings of mistrust and to repudiate all hostilities.
UNSMIL also said it appreciates the leadership of both parties for facilitating this round of talks and thanks the members of both delegations for traveling to Geneva during these unusual conditions due to the COVID-19 pandemic.
