The Geneva Ceasefire Agreement: Implementation Challenges and Their Impact on Sirte

Introduction

The armed escalation that began in April 2019 with the General Command of the Libyan Arab Armed Forces’ (LAAF) attack on Tripoli led to an escalation in the Sirte area and risked international confrontation in the broader Sirte region. Sirte is pivotal in the conflict and has local, regional and international dimensions. Therefore, the international community renewed its efforts in August 2020 to de-escalate tensions in Sirte.

International efforts coordinated through the United Nations (UN) mission succeeded in leading a dialogue with political, economic, and military tracks. The military track managed to bring the local parties together in Geneva to sign a ceasefire agreement and to form a Joint Military Commission to oversee the ceasefire’s implementation. The agreement signed in Geneva on 23 October 2020, between the Government of National Accord (GNA) and the General Command of the LAAF, raised hopes that the situation could be calmed in the Sirte region.

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