Don’t 'turn a blind eye' to Libya, UN agencies warn
Seven United Nations agencies called for a cease-fire in war-torn Libya that would allow local authorities and humanitarian organizations to focus on the coronavirus outbreak.
Libya can’t fight a war on two fronts, a group of United Nations agencies warned Wednesday, calling on the rival factions to agree to a lasting truce amid the novel coronavirus pandemic.
“The international community must not turn a blind eye to the conflict,” they wrote in a joint statement.
The seven UN agencies echoed a call from UN Secretary General Antonio Guterres in March, urging a global cease-fire so that coronavirus aid could reach vulnerable populations in countries like Syria, Yemen and Libya.
Signatories to Wednesday's statement include UN Undersecretary-General for Humanitarian Affairs Mark Lowcock, UN High Commissioner for Refugees Filippo Grandi and Executive Director of the World Food Programme David Beasley.
