Libya: mercenaries and foreign forces at the center of Abdoulaye Bathily's visit to 3 neighboring countries

Abdoulaye Bathily, UN Special Representative for Libya and head of the UN Support Mission in Libya (UNSMIL), at a press conference in Tripoli, March 11, 2023. AFP - MAHMUD TURKIA

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The Special Representative of the UN Secretary-General concluded this week a first tour of three neighbouring countries to the south of Libya: Sudan, Chad and Niger. During the tour, there was talk of restoring peace and stability in Libya. Mercenaries, and foreign forces, as well as the proliferation of weapons, constitute according to the UN a permanent threat to peace and stability in Libya. According to a UN statement, the trip was aimed at increasing coordination on these issues between the three countries and Libya.

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In Khartoum, N'Djamena and Niamey, Abdoulaye Bathily met with the highest officials, all of whom assured him of their support and cooperation.

The special envoy called on the international community to support a "coordinated and balanced" process for the withdrawal of foreign fighters from Libya.

He also stressed the importance of allocating the necessary funding and technical assistance to address this common challenge.

Abdoulaye Bathily also seeks, as he explained, to avoid "the negative impacts – of withdrawal – on countries of origin".

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In addition, he considered that the withdrawal, combined with the maintenance of security at the common borders, will bring stability to Libya and reduce trafficking in human beings, arms, and drugs, as well as trafficking resulting from the illegal search for minerals.

The Libyan 5+5 military committee had already established liaison committees in Niger, Chad and Sudan to increase cooperation and exchanges on mercenaries. Abdoulaye Bathily's tour comes to reinforce these joint efforts.

Several observers note, however, that he did not meet with the leaders of armed factions in Chad and the Sudan. They are the ones who are in direct contact with the fighters in Libya.

2/2 these arrangements will reduce the alarming rates of human trafficking, arms and drugs smuggling, illegal mining, and will help limit the movement of extremists along the southern borders of #Libya.https://t.co/1gvbDfi5Rb

— SRSG Abdoulaye Bathily (@Bathily_UNSMIL) April 5, 2023

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  • Libya
  • UN
  • Sudan
  • Chad
  • Niger