In early February 2020, delegates from Libya’s warring factions met with UN facilitators in Geneva, Switzerland to discuss a permanent ceasefire. The current temporary ceasefire, brokered by Russia and Turkey in January 2020, appears to be, at best, tenuous, and reports of heavy fighting have continued since then. The goal, according to UN envoy Ghassan Salame, is to broker a truce that will be “less often violated by either side.” Both sides, Salame said, are open to the idea of a permanent ceasefire. During the February talks, however, Salame also expressed dismay that both sides appear to be violating the arms embargo that has been in place in Libya since 2011.
The “Libya Joint Military Commission” that met in Geneva was comprised of five delegates appointed by the UN-recognized Government of National Accord (GNA) and five appointed by military commander Khalifa Haftar. To learn more about the history of the Libyan Civil War and the risks associated with it, read our recent insight on the topic here.
