Declaration by Minister Luigi Di Maio on the agreement for a permanent ceasefire in Libya

“Today it has been an important day for the security of our country. In Geneva the Libyan representatives have reached a ceasefire agreement which we have immediately welcomed with great favour. This is an important result for Libya, which deserves a future of peace, security and prosperity. But it is also an important step for our security and that of the whole Mediterranean. Tripoli is about 250 km as the crow flies from our coasts and the stabilisation of Libya is essential to control irregular migration flows and fight the terrorist groups that infest the Sahel, the region where Father Maccalli and Nicola Chiacchio, who we have recently brought home, were also held prisoners. We must now continue to work together with the United Nations to ensure that the ceasefire is implemented and respected by all Libyan parties and all international actors involved in various ways. Italian diplomacy is constantly working for a ceasefire, for the resumption of oil production and for an overall political agreement to bring Libya out of war and crisis. In any case, the work is far from being finished and we will not cease our action until we have restored peace, security and stability to Libya. The next step is the Libyan Dialogue Forum, which Italy supports and which will serve the Libyans to define the institutional future of their country”.