NATO Secretary General Jens Stoltenberg had a phone call with the Prime Minister of Libya, Fayez al-Sarraj, on Saturday (16 May 2020), at the Prime Minister’s request, to discuss developments in Libya.
The Secretary General expressed his deep concern over the recent escalation of violence in Libya and stressed that there was no military solution to the situation in the country. The outcomes of the January 2020 Berlin Conference and United Nations Security Council Resolution 2510 laid out a clear political way forward.
Mr Stoltenberg emphasized that NATO fully supports the work of the United Nations to find a political solution to the crisis and he urged all parties in Libya and members of the international community to support the UN-led process. It was important that all parties respect the UN arms embargo.
On possible NATO support for Libya, the Secretary General said that NATO remained prepared to assist Libya with building up its defence and security institutions, as restated by NATO Heads of State and Government in 2018 and in response to the request by the Government of National Accord. NATO assistance to Libya will take account of political and security conditions.
