Libya discusses enhancing military cooperation with AFRICOM 

The Prime Minister of Libya’s Government of National Unity, Abdul Hamid Dbeibeh, discussed with the Deputy Commander of the US Military Forces in Africa (AFRICOM) John Brennan, ways to enhance military cooperation.

This came during their meeting in Tripoli, in the presence of the Libyan Chief of Staff, Mohammed Al-Haddad, the Undersecretary of the Ministry of Defence, Abdul Salam Al-Zoubi, the National Security Advisor, Ibrahim Dbaiba, and the Charge d’Affaires of the US Embassy in Libya, Jeremy Brent, according to a statement by the official Libyan government platform.

The statement said that the officials discussed “aspects of military cooperation between Libya and the US, and ways to enhance the partnership in the fields of training and raising the efficiency of forces.”

As well as “regional challenges related to combating terrorism and organised crime, and mechanisms for coordinating joint efforts to confront security threats facing the region.”

The statement quoted Dbeibeh as stressing “the importance of continuing military cooperation with the US and benefiting from international expertise in developing the Libyan military institution in a way that enhances its capabilities in maintaining security and stability.”

In turn, the Deputy Commander of AFRICOM affirmed the United States’ commitment to “supporting security capacity-building efforts in Libya and enhancing joint coordination on issues of common interest,” according to the same source.

The meeting comes as efforts continue to help Libya hold elections that resolve the conflict between two governments, the Government of National Unity headed by Dbeibeh, headquartered in Tripoli, and the House of Representatives, headed by Osama Hamad, headquartered in Benghazi, which governs the east of the country.

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