PRESS STATEMENT
MORGAN ORTAGUS, DEPARTMENT SPOKESPERSON
MARCH 21, 2020
The United States joins the UN Support Mission in Libya in welcoming the decision of Libyan Prime Minister al-Sarraj to endorse an immediate humanitarian cessation of hostilities to allow local authorities to come together in response to the unprecedented public health challenge posed by COVID-19. Libyan leaders must urgently prioritize the health of the Libyan people; it is the only responsible thing to do. Now is the time for all actors, including LNA Commander Haftar, to suspend military operations, reject toxic foreign interference, and enable health authorities to fight this global pandemic. The United States has consistently opposed all military escalation and the ongoing transfer of foreign military equipment and personnel into Libya; in that spirit, we support UN-facilitated dialogue among Libyan actors in order to achieve a lasting ceasefire and create the conditions for all actors to halt their military activities and return to meaningful negotiations.
Link to the statement: https://www.state.gov/the-united-states-calls-on-lna-to-observe-cessation-of-hostilities-in-libya/