European leaders issued a statement on the occasion of Ramadan, urging Libya’s political rivals to use the holy month as an opportunity to overcome their differences and agree on a roadmap to restore stability and democracy.
The joint statement from EU ambassadors and the EU Mission in Libya congratulated the Libyan people on Ramadan’s arrival and called on all parties to embody the spirit of the month by releasing arbitrarily detained prisoners as “a good will gesture.”
A primary demand was for Libyan factions to immediately accept UN Special Representative Abdoulaye Bathily’s invitation for reconciliation talks, possibly during Ramadan itself. The EU said these talks must resolve “all outstanding obstacles” blocking national elections to restore legitimacy to Libya’s institutions.
“Ramadan is an opportunity to put aside differences and make progress in national reconciliation and unity,” the statement stressed. It urged Libyan leaders to overcome their divisions “to build a united, sovereign, democratic and prosperous Libya together.”
With security and economic challenges increasingly disrupting daily life, the EU statement urged an urgent agreement on reforms “needed to maintain stability and the economy, so that Libyans can celebrate without fear and suffering.”