The United Nations Support Mission in Libya (UNSMIL) has joined the call by international partners on all parties to the Libyan conflict to declare an immediate humanitarian cessation of hostilities as well as a halt to the continuing transfer of all military equipment and personnel into Libya, in order to allow local authorities to rapidly respond to the unprecedented public health challenge posed by Coronavirus pandemic.

"While UNSMIL continues its efforts in facilitating an inter-Libyan dialogue on the political, military and economic tracks, we urge all parties in Libya to take the bold step in unifying their efforts in facing this pandemic." UNSMIL said in a statement on Tuesday.

It called on all Libyans to join forces immediately before it is too late to face this overwhelming, fast-spreading threat, which requires consolidating all resources and efforts for the prevention, awareness and treatment of possible victims, adding that Coronavirus has no affiliation and breaks through all frontlines.

UNSMIL encouraged the implementation of a consolidated mechanism to face COVID-19 in Libya in close collaboration with WHO and other UN agencies on the ground, and the friends of Libya.

Meanwhile, the embassies of Algeria, France, Germany, Italy, the Netherlands, the United Kingdom, and the United States along with the Delegation of the European Union and the Governments of Tunisia and the United Arab Emirates called on all parties in the Libya conflict to declare an immediate, humanitarian cessation of hostilities to allow local authorities to respond to the unprecedented public health challenge posed by Coronavirus and the disease COVID-19.