Rabat – The United Nations envoy to Libya, Ghassan Salame, has thanked Morocco for its ongoing support for the UN’s work in Libya, and for the joint efforts towards achieving security and peace.
Salame shared the UN’s gratitude in a telephone conversation with Morocco’s Minister of Foreign Affairs, Nasser Bourita, on Friday, January 24.
The UN representative also briefed the minister on recent developments in Libya.
The telephone call comes less than a week after Morocco’s exclusion from the Berlin Conference on Libya, on Sunday, January 19.
Morocco expressed its surprise at the organizers’ decision not invite the North African country, bearing in mind its active role in the international community’s efforts to solve the Libyan crisis through the Skhirat agreement.
The Skhirat agreement, signed in Morocco in December 2015, remains, until today, the most concrete peacekeeping effort.
The agreement puts in place an interim Libyan government and a ceasefire between the conflict parties.
“The Kingdom of Morocco understands neither the criteria nor the motivations behind the choice of countries participating in this meeting,” announced the Ministry of Foreign Affairs.
However, despite Morocco’s exclusion from the conference, several states and organizations have spoken out to commend Morocco’s commitment to helping resolve the Libyan conflict.
On January 18, French President Emmanuel Macron talked to King Mohammed VI in a telephone call about the situation in Libya.
During the phone call, France recognized the efforts Morocco has mobilized over many years to resolve the crisis in Libya.
The Moroccan King also met with Abu Dhabi’s Crown Prince and Emirati Minister of Defense, Mohammed bin Zayed at his Moroccan residence.
The Emirati prince arrived in Morocco from Berlin, where he had participated in the conference.
Morocco supports the principle of non-interference in the domestic affairs of other states. The country recently condemned foreign military intervention in Libya, emphasizing that it would only make things worse.
The statement came after Turkey decided to send troops to Libya.
“Foreign interventions have only complicated the situation in Libya, removed the potential for a political solution in the country, created internal differences, and threatened peace and security in the entire Maghreb,” said Morocco’s FM in a statement.
