On 21-22 December, the first regional Military Intelligence Director’s conference for Libya and its neighbouring countries took place in Tripoli.
Other than the host nation, delegations from Tunisia, Algeria, Niger, Chad, and Sudan participated, albeit not all with the Directors themselves. Notably, Egypt did not participate. The Libyan delegation was led by Deputy Minister of Defense (MoD) Abdussalam al-Zoubi and included, among others, Military Intelligence Director (and Commander of the 444 Brigade) Mahmoud Hamza, Chief of Staff (CoS) Muhammed al Haddad, and Deputy CoS Salaheddin al-Namroush.
The conference was opened by PM and MoD Abdul Hameed Dabaiba. He described the conference as an important step in strengthening security and intelligence cooperation among neighboring countries. Dabaiba noted that the conference comes at a time of escalating security challenges, particularly terrorism, smuggling and other illegal cross-border activities. He stressed that Libya is ready to contribute to the security of the region and will not allow it to become an arena for settling regional or international scores nor will it turn into a safe haven for terrorists and outlaws.
Hamza expressed that this meeting of the Regional Military Intelligence Directors reflects a shared commitment to strengthening regional security and stability. He said Libya and its neighbours are fac ing a quadruple challenge: terrorism, drug and weapons smuggling, and illegal immigration. He stressed that these challenges require effective regional cooperation, especially in light of the rapid changes taking place in the region.
The Chief of the Tunisian delegation said that the outcomes of the conference would serve as a roadmap to enhance intelligence efficiency to confront challenges in the region. The heads of the Chadian and Nigerian delegations made it clear that the region’s challenges require a rapid and effective response. This conference marks the start of productive cooperation and the opportunity to exchange information.
Mahrez Jeribi, the central director of Algerian army security, stated that the deterioration of the secu rity situation in the region is a result of the spread of cross-border crimes, which most be dealt with in an efficient way. Furthermore, he accused Morocco of violating the ceasefire in Western Sahara and described this region, which was annexed by Morocco, as the ‘last colony in Africa’.