Ceasefire agreement remains in effect, UN affirms important role of an agency

On August 25, Libya's 5+5 Joint Military Commission (JMC) affirmed that the United Nations (UN)-sponsored ceasefire agreement, signed in October 2020 between factions in this North African country, is still in effect.

Representatives of Libya's 5+5 Joint Military Commission at a meeting on August 25 in Sirte city. (Source: The Libya Observe)

The Libya Observer reported that the JMC made the above statement at a meeting on the same day in the city of Sirte, with the participation of representatives from the General Staff of the Libyan army in the capital Tripoli, the National Army led by General Khalifa Haftar and Acting Head of the United Nations Support Mission in Libya (UNSMIL) Stephanie Koury.

The JMC statement said that at the meeting, members of the committee discussed the political-security situation as well as the impact of the chaos on the ceasefire agreement and the implementation of the remaining provisions of the agreement.

The JMC is working within a specific framework regarding the ceasefire agreement and monitoring its implementation.

According to the committee, they are not tasked with unifying military institutions nor do they have the authority and ability to expel foreign forces and mercenaries from Libyan territory, which is within the competence of the state's executive agencies.

The JMC said it had studied the political divisions and their impact on the implementation of the remaining provisions of the ceasefire and on Libya's overall national security situation. The JMC is expected to announce its position on the issue to the Libyan people in the coming days.

Speaking at the meeting, UN representative Stephanie Koury, emphasized the role of the JMC in maintaining the ceasefire agreement in Libya.

In a post on social media X , Ms Koury said: "We also discussed ways to implement the ceasefire agreement, including the withdrawal of foreign fighters and mercenaries. Peace and stability are essential for the Libyan people, as they fight for a lasting political solution."

The Libya 5+5 Joint Military Commission is a group consisting of five representatives from the Tripoli-based government of national unity and five representatives from the eastern-based national army. The commission was established to monitor and implement ceasefire agreements and military agreements between the rival factions in Libya.

The most recent meeting of JMC members took place on 7 November 2023 in Tunisia, under the auspices of the Special Representative of the UN Secretary-General and then-head of UNSMIL, Mr. Abdoulaye Bathily.

Source: https://baoquocte.vn/tinh-hinh-libya-thoa-thuan-ngung-ban-van-con-hieu-luc-lhq-khang-dinh-vai-tro-quan-trong-cua-mot-co-quan-283923.html