African Union (AU) chairperson and South African President Cyril Ramaphosa on Sunday welcomed the signing of a complete country-wide and permanent ceasefire agreement between rival forces in Libya.

The agreement was signed in Geneva in Switzerland on Friday, October 23.

“We congratulate all signatories for agreeing to this groundbreaking permanent ceasefire agreement,” Ramaphosa said in a statement on Sunday.

“The signing of this agreement is an important step towards silencing the guns in Africa. We further support the appeal by the United Nations Secretary General António Guterres for all stakeholders, regional and international actors, to respect the provisions of the ceasefire agreement and ensure its implementation without delay in order to bring an end to this conflict. This includes ensuring the full and unconditional respect of the UN Security Council [UNSC] arms embargo,” Ramaphosa said.

The ceasefire agreement, its enforcement, and observation was a critical first step in creating conducive conditions for lasting peace in Libya. It paved the way for the resumption of the intra-Libyan dialogue, which was the only legitimate platform that could produce a durable Libyan-owned political solution.

Ramaphosa stressed the need for external parties to respect the UNSC arms embargo and called on them to refrain from interfering in the internal affairs of Libya. He also emphasised the importance of AU/UN collaboration in supporting the Libyan parties in the search for a political solution.

“Guided by the spirit of fraternity and the principles of solidarity and cooperation, the AU stands ready to accompany the Libyan people on this journey towards peace, national reconciliation, and unity,” he said.

Source: ANA News Agency