UN asks Libya’s Dialogue Forum to convene Wednesday

TRIPOLI, Libya

The United Nations Support Mission in Libya (UNSMIL) has called on the Libyan Dialogue Forum to convene on Wednesday to discuss developments in the war-torn country.

UNSMIL sent invitations to the Forum members late Monday to meet via an online platform to discuss the ongoing intra-Libyan talks and the possible next steps.

The Dialogue Forum consists of 75 Libyan members, who represent the three main regions of Libya; Tripolitania (west), Barqa (east) and Fezzan (south).

The Forum convenes regularly to discuss the Libyan situation with the aim of reaching a settlement to the Libyan crisis.

In a related topic, the US envoy in Tripoli, Richard Norland, discussed Libyan developments related to the ongoing political dialogue with Chairman of Libya’s High Council of State, Khalid al-Mishri.

Norland confirmed his country's commitment to ensure success of the Libyan political dialogue and to stabilize the cease-fire agreed upon the Libyan Joint Military Commission (5+5), according to a statement issued by the council.

Libya has been torn by civil war since the ouster of late ruler Muammar Gaddafi in 2011.

Based in the capital Tripoli and currently led by Prime Minister Fayez al-Sarraj, the Government of National Accord (GNA) was founded in 2015 under a UN-led agreement. But efforts for a long-term political settlement have failed due to a military offensive by militias loyal to strongman Khalifa Haftar.

Al-Sarraj's government has been battling Haftar's militias since April 2019 in a conflict that has claimed thousands of lives.

* Ahmed Asmar contributed to this report from Ankara