On 7 and 8 February, the 5+5 Joint Military Commission (JMC) and liaison committees from Libya, Sudan and Niger held a two-day meeting in Cairo chaired by UN Special Envoy to Libya Abdoulaye Bathily. On 8 February, the UN Support Mission in Libya (UNSMIL) issued a statement announcing that attendees had developed and approved the establishment of an integrated mechanism for joint coordination and data exchange to facilitate the full withdrawal of mercenaries and foreign fighters from the country. In his closing remarks, Bathily said, ‘This progress is also an important step toward creating a favourable climate for the political process, including the organization of elections in 2023′.
