On 1 July in the morning, the Ras Ajdir border crossing was reopened for general border traffic by Government of National Unity (GNU) Minister of Interior Emad Trabelsi and the Tunisian MoI Khaled al-Nuwairi. There were no incidents. Prime Minister Abdul Hameed Dabaiba was not present at the opening. Trabelsi explained in the joint press conference that the previous closure was aimed at better organizing the border to end insecurity and instability. He added that the plan to reopen the border crossing includes facilitating travel between the two countries and providing new control facilities. He emphasized that an official police force from his ministry will now be responsible for securing the border on the Libyan side. All previous staff had been replaced. The MoI explained that its forces and the Libyan Army troops were working closely together to fully secure the border crossing and to secure the entire Libyan border from al-Assah to Wazin.
Trabelsi explained that the Libyan economy was being undermined by smuggling, especially of fuel and consumer goods, through this region. He promised to put an end to this. His ministry would also endeavour to secure and reopen the Ghadames – al-Dabdab border crossing with Algeria. Smuggling from all regions is also taking place across this border. The MoI also expressed its willingness to cooperate with the ‘armed forces’ under the command of Khalifa Haftar in the East in order to secure the southern border.
PM Dabaiba, together with key advisors and ministers, visited Zuwara after the opening of the border crossing, where he was welcomed by the mayor and members of the Municipal Council as well as representatives of the Nobles & Elders council. During the talks, the city’s most pressing problems were – once again – discussed. In the afternoon, GECOL brought various materials, including transformers, to Zuwara to repair the power grid.