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By Libya Herald reporters.
Tripoli, 11 September 2015:
The UN Security Council has extended the mandate . . .[restrict]of the United Nations Support Mission in Libya for a further six months, in anticipation of an imminent deal on a Government of National Accord.
The 15 members of the Council last night voted unanimously that UNSMIL should continue at least until 15 March next year. The UN and the EU are poised to give extensive support to the new GNA according to UNSMIL chief Bernardino Leon.
The Security Council also called for an “immediate and unconditional ceasefire”, condemned violence against civilians and infrastructure, including airports, and called for those responsible to be held accountable.
The Council made it clear that the chaos in Libya was boosting the trafficking in illegal migrants and said it was gravely concerned at the risks migrants were taking in trying to cross the Mediterranean, especially when they were still off the coast of Libya.
There was never a question that UNSMIL’s mandate would be allowed to run out. On 14 March 2014 the Security Council decided with Resolution 2144 that the mission would continue for another 12 months. However by this March, the mission had evacuated to Tunis, so the mandate was twice rolled over for three months. The last of these runs out formally next Tuesday. [/restrict]
