On 3 May, French Ambassador Thierry Vallat met with Libyan National Army (LNA) Commander Khalifa Haftar in Benghazi, discussing the durability of French-Libyan relations in various spheres, especially economic, commercial and educational.
On 4 May, EU Ambassador Orlando met with Haftar, discussing developing and strengthening bilateral relations in various fields, particularly combating illegal immigration, smuggling networks, and transnational organized crime. They also discussed the importance of coordination and cooperation in joint efforts to combat terrorism, as well as supporting training programs to enhance the efficiency and capabilities of the Libyan National Army’s Coast Guard and Border Guard units. According to the EU, they also discussed the positive momentum in the political process and how the EU can contribute to SRSG Hana Tetteh’s efforts to advance national elections and foster unity.
Orlando also met with LNA Chief of Staff Khaled Haftar, exploring opportunities to strengthen cooperation, particularly in counter-terrorism and in enhancing the effectiveness of border management, and with Director of the Libyan Reconstruction and Development Fund, Belqasem Haftar.