Libya: "The truce hangs by a thread", according to the UN

Text by: RFI Follow

One month after the Berlin conference on Libya, the first meeting of the monitoring committee for this agreement took place this Sunday, February 16, on the sidelines of the security conference in Munich, Germany. The press release also underlines that numerous violations of the embargo on arms deliveries remain current and that a permanent ceasefire has not been reached.

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Thirteen foreign ministers, representatives of international organizations such as the UN, the African Union, Europe and the Arab League. One month after the Berlin agreement , the members of the monitoring committee must have noticed that the process started for peace in Libya has made very little progress.

In their press release, they regret the violations of the embargo on the supply of arms and call on the two opposite parties to negotiate the establishment of a permanent cease-fire.

Despite these slight advances, German Foreign Minister Heiko Maas, who co-chairs the monitoring committee, wanted to salute what seemed to him to be positive: the adoption on Wednesday 12 February of a UN resolution which gives more strong legitimacy for decisions taken in Berlin.

" The Libyan people continue to suffer "

The tone is more measured with Stephanie Williams, number two of the United Nations envoy Salamé. It welcomed the holding of the military committee with representatives of the two parties as well as that of a committee of economic experts.

But Stéphaniue Williams also stressed that " the truce is hanging by a thread with numerous violations - more than 150 - identified. The Libyan people continue to suffer. The economic situation continues to deteriorate, exacerbated by the blockade of oil installations . "

Contribution from Europe?

Respect for the arms embargo remains to be built. How can Europe contribute to it? A meeting of European foreign ministers this Monday, February 17 in Brussels will discuss the subject.

The next meeting of the follow-up committee to the Berlin conference will take place in March in Rome. It remains chaired by the United Nations but its co-presidency is rotating.

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