The United States Secretary of State, Antony Blinken held a virtual meeting with UN Secretary-General Antonio Guterres during which they discussed the situation in Libya, according to a statement by the US Department of State.
Blinken welcomed the new interim Government of National Unity (GNU) in Libya, and underscored the importance of holding elections in December of this year.
Blinken also stressed the need for foreign forces to depart from Libya. He pledged full support for UN Special Envoy, Jan Kubis and the United Nations Support Mission in Libya (UNSMIL). They agreed to continue close US-UN coordination on these and other matters.
“The meeting focused on the ways in which we can work together to address regional and global challenges, and strengthen the foundational principles and values of the UN and the multilateral system, including the protection of human rights and the dignity of every individual no matter their citizenship, ethnicity, religion, gender, or race,” the statement noted.
Blinken welcomed close coordination with the UN regarding the political settlement and the permanent and comprehensive ceasefire in Afghanistan. As well as the need to renew and expand cross-border aid delivery in Syria.