UN brokers ‘ permanent’ truce in Libya
Foreign fighters told to leave within 3 months as first flight operates fromTripoli to Benghazi
Libya’s warring factions yesterday signed a permanent ceasefire agreement, but any lasting end to years of bloodshed will require wider agreement among myriad armed groups and the outside powers that support them.
The signing ceremony was held between representatives of the Government of National Accord ( GNA) and Khalifa Haftar’s Libyan National Army ( LNA) at the United Nations in Geneva in the presence of acting UN Libya envoy Stephanie Williams.
Williams said the ceasefire would start immediately and all foreign fighters must quit Libya within threemonths.
As a first commercial passenger flight in more than a year crossed front lines from Tripoli to Benghazi yesterday, Williams noted Libya’s numerous broken truces and failed political solutions. “Today is a good day for the Libyan people,” Williams said, saying the delegations “signed a complete, country- wide and permanent ceasefire agreement with immediate effect”.
UN chief, USwelcomemove
UN Secretary General Antonio Guterres hailed the deal as a “fundamental step toward peace and stability in Libya”.
The US also welcomed the xeasefire and said that all foreign fighters must now leave. “This agreement is a major step forward toward realising the shared interests of all Libyans in de- escalation, stability and the departure of foreign fighters,” the US embassy in Libya said.
What happens next?
The GNA and LNA will now set up a joint military committee to form an operations room commanding a limited force of regular personnel. Itwill identify and categorise all Libya’s many armed groupswith UN help.
A new joint police operations room will secure areas from which military forces have withdrawn. The two sides must continue with opening of land and air routes between areas they control, exchanging detainees and restructuring a guards force for oil facilities.
The delegations will reconvene soon with subcommittees to work out details. A round of political talks is expected early nextmonth in Tunis.
Oil exports resume
Following the deal, Libya’s National Oil Corp ( NOC) lifted force majeure on exports from the ports of Es Sider and Ras Lanuf. It said output would reach 800,000 barrels per day ( bpd) within two weeks and 1 million bpd in four weeks.
Al Waha Oil, the NOC company that runs Es Sider, said the port would start operating again today with the first tanker expected within 48 hours.