Monday, March 7, 2011

UN appoints special envoy to Libya

.- The Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon today appointed former Jordanian Foreign Minister Abdelilah Al Khatib special envoy to Libya to meet with the Libyan authorities and assess the immediate humanitarian needs of the population. The new UN special envoy "will be holding urgent consultations with the authorities in Tripoli and the region on the immediate humanitarian situation and the wider dimensions of the crisis", reported the UN spokesman, Martin Nesirky, a statement.

He said the Jordanian diplomat "will arrive in New York in the coming days before assuming their responsibilities in the region." Ban spoke by phone Sunday with Libyan Foreign Minister, Musa Kusa, who called for immediate access to the country to all humanitarian organizations to assist those who need it.

"In this regard, the Secretary General suggested the immediate departure of a humanitarian assessment mission to Tripoli, to which he responded Libyan Foreign Minister," the spokesman added. He also urged the Libyan authorities "to consider the best interests of the Libyan people and listen to the united voice of the international community." Ban also expressed his "deep concern over the fighting in western Libya, where there have been numerous human casualties" and "there is a threat of further slaughter in the coming days," said Nesirky in a statement.

The UN chief also mentioned that the civilians are the main victims of violence, which requested "the Government to immediately cease the use of disproportionate force and indiscriminate attacks against civilian targets." He recalled once again the Gadhafi regime that those responsible for violations of international humanitarian law or to commit serious crimes will be brought to justice.

In his conversation with Foreign Minister of the North African country, the UN secretary general urged the cessation of hostilities and the implementation of resolution 1970 the Security Council adopted a week ago, which calls for respect human rights and an end to attacks on civilians.

Ban urged "the authorities in Tripoli to respect the human rights of all its people and to lift restrictions on the media," said the spokesman. In his conversation with Kusa, Ban spoke to the alarming humanitarian situation, "particularly that of migrant workers." He also asked that the Libyan authorities to ensure the safety of all foreigners.

The Deputy Secretary General for Humanitarian Affairs, Valerie Amos, who this weekend went to the Libyan-Tunisian border, assessed at $ 160 million funding needed to treat victims of the conflict in Libya, as well as migrant workers are leaving for the Libyan border, according to a UN statement.

The Office of Humanitarian Affairs (OCHA) said in its statement that with this $ 160 million asking the international community to help workers who leave Libya through Tunisia, Egypt and Niger. It will also serve to help people in areas controlled by the opposition and the government. That funding to raise the international community will also, according to OCHA, to prepare for the event that the situation worse and increase the flow of people coming out of Libya, "or has significant humanitarian needs in the country."

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