Libya: EU deplores increasing fighting amidst coronavirus pandemic
The European Union deplores that the fighting has increased in Libya despite the international calls for a humanitarian truce to help contain the Coronavirus pandemic in the country, the High Representative Joseph Borrell said.
The challenging circumstances created by the Coronavirus pandemic make the need to halt the fighting in Tripoli and across the country even more urgent. We strongly condemn any attack against civilian population, Borrell said in a statement released Friday on behalf of the EU member countries.
“We urge all the relevant Libyan actors to immediately stop the fighting and engage in reaching a political solution to the crisis. The leadership of the two parties should commit to the draft ceasefire agreement developed by the Joint Military Committee (“5+5”) in the UNSMIL-facilitated Geneva talks, so that all available assets can be deployed in priority to contain the Coronavirus crisis.”
The EU also condemned the use of civilian infrastructure for military purposes and called on all parties to respect human rights and international law.
A truce would facilitate taking all the necessary steps to protect the Libyan population and the most vulnerable in the country, including the Libyan IDPs as well as migrants, refugees and asylum seekers in the detention centers, for whom the possible spread of the virus could have further catastrophic consequences, Borrell said, expressing the EU’s strong support and encouragement of efforts of Libyan health authorities to come together to assist the Libyan population.
“We call once again on all UN Member States to respect and uphold the UN arms embargo, to discontinue the influx of foreign fighters into Libya and to refrain from destabilizing actions that could further deteriorate the already fragile situation in the country,” he added, urging all the Libyan parties to engage constructively in the UN-facilitated intra-Libyan talks in order to agree on the implementation of urgent economic and financial measures.
The EU also stressed the crucial need to safeguard Libya’s oil resources and protect its infrastructure in full compliance with the relevant UN Security Council resolutions.
The European Union and its Member States reiterated their full commitment to support the Berlin Process and the UN-led mediation efforts, underlining the important role of neighboring countries and regional organizations in the follow-up of the Berlin Process. They also reaffirm their full support to the active role of the UNSMIL and underline the need for a new United Nations Special Representative of the Secretary-General for Libya to be appointed.
