Nyakallo Tefu
President Cyril Ramaphosa has called for an urgent ceasefire in Libya’s longest running conflict.
Ramaphosa is in the Republic of Congo in his capacity as the African Union chairperson.
He was speaking at the inaugural meeting of the AU Contact Group on Libya
He said the United Nations Support Mission in Libya has given the country a deadline for a draft ceasefire agreement to be reached and finalised in March.
“We call for a ceasefire to be implemented with urgent and immediate effect,” said Ramaphosa.
“We are disappointed that the much-anticipated ceasefire talks of the Libyan Joint Military Group in Geneva, Switzerland from the 18th to the 24th of February 2020 did not result in a positive outcome.”
“In spite of this, we continue to stress the need for inclusive dialogue between all Libyan parties to the conflict, in recognition that it is only by sitting around the negotiating table that a durable solution can be reached. In this, the year that the African Union has dedicated to Silencing the Guns in Africa, we must be at the forefront of efforts to bring the warring parties together.”
The meeting in Oyo comes after the February 2020 agreement to establish a Contact Group to provide political leadership and to promote the coordination of international efforts in pursuit of a lasting solution to the Libyan crisis.
The aim of this meeting was to discuss military confrontations between Libyan parties and continuous external political and military interference, which have created a dangerous situation not only for Libya but the region and the continent at large
“We reaffirm the decision of the 33rd Ordinary Session of the Assembly of the AU calling on all outside actors to immediately and permanently put an end to their interventions that continue to undermine the sovereignty, unity and territorial integrity of Libya”, said Ramaphosa after the meeting.
Ramaphosa said South Africa supports the goal of unification of the country’s institutions, the holding of national elections, and enhancing security, stability and living conditions for the Libyan people.
