UN Security Council unanimously approves sending ceasefire monitors to Libya

Resolution calls on all foreign forces to leave the country and for December 24 elections

Secretary General Antonio Guterres proposed sending monitors that would oversee the ceasefire in Libya that has held since October. AFP

The UN Security Council unanimously voted on Friday to send up to 60 international monitors to Libya and called on its new unity government to plan for free and inclusive elections on December 24.

The council adopted Secretary General Antonio Guterres's proposal to send monitors that would oversee the ceasefire in Libya that has held since October and would join the UN mission in Libya, called UNSMIL.

“The monitors would be deployed to Sirte once all the requirements for a permanent United Nations presence have been met, including security, logistical, medical and operational aspects,” Mr Guterres wrote to the council on April 7.

The war-torn country made an agreement on March 15 to form a unity government between the east and the west. Now the UN is calling for December elections to build on that transition.

The same resolution called for the withdrawal of all foreign forces and mercenaries from Libya “without delay” and demanded full compliance with its arms embargo on Libya.

It calls for the need for constitutional and legislative backing for Libya’s new electoral process to be in place by July and parliamentary and presidential elections to take place on December 24.

Resolution 2570 calls for “full, equal and meaningful participation of women and the inclusion of youth” in the elections.

Speaking to journalists on Friday, UN spokesman Stephane Dujarric said the international body was committed to "helping the political leaders of Libya … what we want to see, is all foreign fighters leave Libya".