French diplomats are preparing for a Libyan security meeting that will bring together security leaders from both the east and west of the country, according to the French website Africa Intelligence. The meeting is being overseen by the French President’s diplomatic adviser on Libya, Paul Soler, who is working to capitalize on the recent progress made in military leadership meetings held in Tunisia, Benghazi, and Tripoli.
The goal of the summit is to agree on the establishment of a joint force from the east and west, which will provide stability before the elections scheduled to take place before the end of this year. The proposed joint force is still under discussion, and its aim is to withdraw foreign forces and combat smuggling across the country’s southern borders. The United Nations is also involved in the creation of the joint force, and UN envoy Abdoulaye Bathiy will be attending the summit in Paris.
The summit will be attended by key leaders from different Libyan regions, including the head of the Presidential Council, and his deputies. The chiefs of staff, General Mohammed Al-Haddad, and General Abdul Raziq Al-Nadouri, along with members of the 5+5 Joint Military Committee.
The joint force will first be deployed in the southwestern region, where armed groups and smuggling are prevalent. The force may receive external training to carry out these tasks, according to Africa Intelligence.