Aid agencies sound the alarm as Israel's Gaza blockade enters a second month    Asian markets plunge as Trump's global tariff turmoil deepens    Trump's crackdown on university protests is casting a long shadow    Le Pen vows to fight conviction but large-scale protests fail to materialize    Al-Jasser: work is underway to restructure and develop aviation infrastructure    KAU to host Digital Communication Conference in Jeddah from April 29 to May 1    TGA: Riyadh tops with 45% of 290 million orders delivered in 2024    Diriyah to host third IMFC Deputies meeting under Saudi chairmanship    15,135 decisions taken to penalize Saudis and expats for violations    Saudi-European Parliamentary Friendship Committee discusses cooperation during Strasbourg visit    Saudi stock market loses half a trillion riyals, with Aramco's losses amounting to SR340 billion Tariff turmoil rattles Gulf markets    Benzema rescues Al Ittihad with stoppage-time equalizer in thrilling Jeddah Derby    Al Qadsiah and Al Ettifaq share spoils in tense Eastern Derby stalemate    Moussa Diaby praises Al Ittihad's resilience after Jeddah Derby draw "When you can't win, you take a point"    Saudi assistant referee Iman Al Madani joins AFC elite list for 2025    Riyadh Art Week launches with over 50 galleries showcasing global artistic dialogue    Turki Al-Sheikh announces five new Saudi film projects to be produced in Riyadh    Saudi Ministry of Education to showcase innovations at 2025 Geneva International Exhibition    Ed Sheeran weaves Persian music into new song, Azizam    Veteran Bollywood actor Manoj Kumar dies at 87    Screen time in bed linked to insomnia, study finds    Bollywood actress vindicated over boyfriend's death after media hounding    Grand Mufti rules against posting prayers and preaching in mosques on social media    King Salman prays for peace and stability for Palestinians in Ramadan message King reaffirms Saudi Arabia's commitment to serving the Two Holy Mosques and pilgrims    Exotic Taif Roses Simulation Performed at Taif Rose Festival    Asian shares mixed Tuesday    Weather Forecast for Tuesday    Saudi Tourism Authority Participates in Arabian Travel Market Exhibition in Dubai    Minister of Industry Announces 50 Investment Opportunities Worth over SAR 96 Billion in Machinery, Equipment Sector    HRH Crown Prince Offers Condolences to Crown Prince of Kuwait on Death of Sheikh Fawaz Salman Abdullah Al-Ali Al-Malek Al-Sabah    HRH Crown Prince Congratulates Santiago Peña on Winning Presidential Election in Paraguay    SDAIA Launches 1st Phase of 'Elevate Program' to Train 1,000 Women on Data, AI    41 Saudi Citizens and 171 Others from Brotherly and Friendly Countries Arrive in Saudi Arabia from Sudan    Saudi Arabia Hosts 1st Meeting of Arab Authorities Controlling Medicines    General Directorate of Narcotics Control Foils Attempt to Smuggle over 5 Million Amphetamine Pills    NAVI Javelins Crowned as Champions of Women's Counter-Strike: Global Offensive (CS:GO) Competitions    Saudi Karate Team Wins Four Medals in World Youth League Championship    Third Edition of FIFA Forward Program Kicks off in Riyadh    Evacuated from Sudan, 187 Nationals from Several Countries Arrive in Jeddah    SPA Documents Thajjud Prayer at Prophet's Mosque in Madinah    SFDA Recommends to Test Blood Sugar at Home Two or Three Hours after Meals    SFDA Offers Various Recommendations for Safe Food Frying    SFDA Provides Five Tips for Using Home Blood Pressure Monitor    SFDA: Instant Soup Contains Large Amounts of Salt    Mawani: New shipping service to connect Jubail Commercial Port to 11 global ports    Custodian of the Two Holy Mosques Delivers Speech to Pilgrims, Citizens, Residents and Muslims around the World    Sheikh Al-Issa in Arafah's Sermon: Allaah Blessed You by Making It Easy for You to Carry out This Obligation. Thus, Ensure Following the Guidance of Your Prophet    Custodian of the Two Holy Mosques addresses citizens and all Muslims on the occasion of the Holy month of Ramadan    







Thank you for reporting!
This image will be automatically disabled when it gets reported by several people.



UN and partners welcome progress in Libya
Published in The Saudi Gazette on 21 - 04 - 2021

The UN and international partners have welcomed significant progress towards advancing an inclusive and comprehensive political solution in Libya.
The members of the Libya Quartet — which brings together the UN, the League of Arab States, the African Union and the European Union — met virtually on Tuesday to take stock of the situation in the country.
'A window of opportunity'
"After years of senseless violence and suffering, there is a window of opportunity in Libya," UN Secretary-General António Guterres wrote on Twitter after the meeting. "We stand with the people of Libya and pledge to work with them to help build a better future."
The UN has been supporting peace efforts in Libya, which descended into chaos and conflict following the overthrow of President Muammar Gaddafi in 2011, resulting in the country being divided between the internationally recognized Government of National Accord (GNA) and the rival Libyan National Army (LNA).
Mediation facilitated by the UN led to an historic ceasefire agreement, signed last October by military representatives from each side, known as the 5+5 Joint Military Commission (JMC), paving the way to political dialogue and a roadmap that includes elections in December.
A new interim unity government was sworn in last month.
Supporting democratic transition
The Quartet met just days after the UN Security Council passed a resolution endorsing the secretary-general's proposal to support the mechanism monitoring implementation of the ceasefire. It calls for teams from the UN's mission in the country, UNSMIL, to work alongside JMC monitors.
Following their meeting, Quartet members issued a joint communiqué, which said they applauded the important outcomes of the Libyan Political Dialogue Forum (LPDF), the adoption of the Road map for the Preparatory Phase of a Comprehensive Solution, and the smooth transfer of power to the new interim authority.
The Quartet also expressed full support for efforts to implement the LPDF Roadmap and successfully complete Libya's democratic transition. They encouraged the unity government, and other institutions, to uphold their commitment to appoint women in at least 30 percent of senior positions, and to promote rights-based reconciliation throughout the country.
Elections must be transparent
The partners also welcomed the new leadership's commitment to holding the 24 December elections, and discussed how they could support the process, including through possible deployment of observer missions.
"They emphasized the importance of conducting these elections in a favorable political and security environment so that they are held in an inclusive, transparent and credible manner and where all Libyans commit to respect their results and integrity."
Withdraw all foreign forces
The communiqué called for stepped up efforts to fully implement the ceasefire agreement, and underlined the importance of the JMC further developing plans "for a robust, credible and effective" ceasefire monitoring mechanism.
"The Quartet condemned the continued violations of the UN arms embargo and emphasized that all external military intervention in Libya is unacceptable," it said.
"They called in this regard for full compliance with the arms embargo and the immediate and unconditional withdrawal of all foreign forces and mercenaries from the entirety of Libya's territory in accordance with the resolutions of the UN Security Council and in a manner that fully restores Libya's sovereignty and preserves its national unity, independence and territorial integrity." — UN News


Clic here to read the story from its source.