The African Union Welcomes the Ceasefire in Libya

Rabat – The African Union welcomed the ceasefire declared in Libya by the Government of National Accord (GNA) and the President of the House of Representatives, Aguila Salah.

“This declaration will facilitate dialogue initiatives as well as the resumption of the work of the United Nations Joint Military Commission, with a view to reaching a general ceasefire,” said Moussa Faki Mahamat, President of the commission of the African Union.

Faki Mahamat also sees in the announcement of the ceasefire, an opportunity for a political dialogue in Libya, as well as the implementation of the roadmap of the High Level Committee on Libya, that the African Union adopted on January 30 in Brazzaville, Democratic Republic of Congo.

The roadmap relates to the calendar of preparatory works related to the African Union Inter-Libyan National Reconciliation Conference and its modalities.

Faki Mahamat went on to praise the various parties in Libya that aim to privilege dialogue over arms, which he considered to be a unique solution to end the war that has lasted more than a decade.

He also called on other Lybian parties to comply with the ceasefire, and “join their voices to this joint announcement in the interest of Libya.”

The African Union pledges to maintain its efforts to help Lybians “emerge from the crisis,” calling on the international community to support the cause.

The Chadian official expressed on January 3 his “deep concern” regarding the situation in Libya and the Lybians, noting that “the various threats of political and military ingerence in the internal affairs of the country increase the risk of a confrontation,” that does not serve the interests of Lybians.

Faki’s declaration mirrors Lybia’s ceasefire announcement, which both sides, Khalifa Haftar’s Lybian National Army (LNA) and GNA, adopted out of fear of a possible escalation.

Read also: Rival Parliaments Announce Ceasefire in Libya Amid Fears of Escalation

Morocco’s position

On the other hand, Morocco, which has been following the Lybian crisis closely through the Skhirat Agreement, warned on several occasions about international military interference in Libya.

In line with the African Union’s call, Morocco also reaffirms its commitment to a Libyan-Libyan political solution to end the crisis.

On July 26, a high-level representation from Lybia arrived in Morocco to assess the evolution of the crisis.

Moroccan officials were also part of the meeting, including Nasser Bourita, the Morccan Foreign Minister who said that the agreement was a “Libyan product” and Libyans can “adapt [the agreement] to the transitional state and ensure the security and stability of that country.”