Tripoli_ Libya and the United States held talks on military cooperation in Tripoli on Thursday during which the US said it “will continue to seek to strengthen the capacity of professional security forces from across Libya and support Libyan efforts to unify security institutions,” the American Charge d’Affaires Jeremy Berndt wrote on his official X platform.
The Minister of State for Cabinet Affairs Adel Juma and Deputy Minister of Defense Adulsalam Zubi represented the Government of National Unity (GNU) in the discussion. The meeting took place at the Libyan Ministry of Defense headquarter.
Berndt, who held other meetings with Libyan officials in Tripoli, described the talks by saying “we had a productive discussion about opportunities to expand U.S.-Libya military cooperation.”
The Libyan side said the meeting reviewed the joint training programs for 2024 and the proposed ones for 2025, with the aim of raising the efficiency of the Libyan army personnel, according to a statement published on the GNU’s official Facebook platform, Hakoumtna.
“The articles of the cooperation agreement to be concluded between the two countries in the field of air force were also discussed. It was agreed to conclude the agreement to enhance cooperation in this field,” the statement said.
The need to achieve progress in preparing a unified budget for the Libyan state for the year 2025 was also part of the discussion. “This meeting comes within the framework of the ongoing efforts to enhance cooperation between Libya and the United States in the military and security fields, and to support stability in the region,” the statement added.
Meanwhile, Mr, Brendt held talks also on Thursday with the Libyan Audit Bureau Chairman Khaled Shakshak at the Audit Bureau headquarters in Tripoli.
“I underscored US concern about pressures exerted against the integrity and independence of the Audit Bureau and other vital Libyan technocratic institutions,” he wrote on X platform. Adding, “We join UNSMIL in urging all parties involved to respect the Audit Bureau’s mandate and avoid politicizing sovereign institutions essential to Libya’s stability and governance
However, the Charge d’Affaires did not name who were the parties or elements involved in exerting such pressure on the Libyan Audit Bureau, or why such issue has become rather a matter of urgency for both the US embassy and the UNSMIL when pressuring government and sovereign institutions has been the practice in Libya so many years ago.
Another meeting at the same day also brought together Mr. Berndt with the Acting Foreign Minister Taher Al-Baour during which the American diplomat “reaffirmed the United States’ full support for UNSMIL’s efforts to advance the political process.”
Berndt said: “we also discussed ways to strengthen US-Libyan bilateral cooperation, and I emphasized US backing for Libyan efforts to overcome divisions, achieve unity, and safeguard Libya’s sovereignty.”
A statement by the Libyan Foreign Ministry and International Cooperation said that “they discussed during the meeting the most prominent developments in the local and regional political situations, bilateral relations and ways to enhance them to serve common interests.”
“The two sides affirmed their support for the efforts of the UN mission and the relevant Security Council resolutions for the consensual political track, in preparation for ending all transitional stages, in response to the aspirations of the Libyan people, in a way that achieves sustainable security and stability in the country,” it added.