The High Representative of the Union for Foreign Affairs and Security Policy, Josep Borrell, and the German Foreign Minister, Heiko Maas, the French Foreign Minister, Jean-Yves Le Drian, and the Italian Foreign Minister, Luigi Di Maio, called, on 25 April, for a humanitarian truce in Libya during Ramadan.
“As participants to the Berlin process and in a renewed commitment to the Berlin conclusions, in this beginning of the Holy Month of Ramadan, we want to unite our voices to those of the UN Secretary-General Guterres and his Acting Special Representative for Libya, Stephanie Turco Williams, in their call for a humanitarian truce in Libya”, they underlined in a joint statement.
Stressing the heightened concern over the intensity of the conflict and the latest developments, the Ministers and the High Representative called on the Libyan actors to be inspired by the “spirit of the Holy Ramadan”.
European leaders asked them to engage in resuming talks for a genuine ceasefire “on the basis of the draft agreement of the Military Committee of 23 February, and in view of a political solution to the conflict”, and to “unite their efforts to face the common enemy which the current pandemic risks represent in the interest of the whole country”.
Despite various calls for a ceasefire (see EUROPE 12457/23), particularly because of the risk of the spread of COVID-19, the fighting continues. (Original version in French by Camille-Cerise Gessant)