17 April 2025
Thank you, Mr. President,
I would like to thank Special Representative Tetteh for her informative briefing and to take the opportunity to officially congratulate her on assuming her new role. I also would like to welcome the representative of Libya to our meeting today.
We look forward to working together with you, SRSG, and hope that under your leadership UNSMIL can accelerate the momentum to realize a Libyan-led, inclusive political process.
Madame President, allow me to make four points:
First, we strongly urge all Libyan stakeholders to engage with UNSMIL and take all necessary measures to reach a unifying political agreement.
We welcome the continued engagement of the Advisory Committee and its work on resolving outstanding issues on the electoral framework. We hope that their upcoming recommendations can help to pave the path towards national elections that are long overdue.
Second, Madame. President,
The economic situation is closely linked to political developments and stability in Libya. Currently we see how competition over state resources comes at the expense of Libyan citizens and puts extreme pressure on Libya’s economic institutions.
In this regard, we call for a unified budget and strong oversight mechanisms. Such actions will enable Libya to optimise its resource allocation, and promote long-term economic sustainability for the Libyan people.
The illicit oil trade is of particular concern, as it destabilises the country and undermines its path towards recovery. Libya’s natural resources should benefit all Libyans instead of furthering inequality.
Third, Madame President,
Institutional divisions in Libya have a direct impact on security. We call on all actors to set aside differences on this critical issue.
Respect of the arms embargo is essential to make a safe and secure Libya a reality and prevent the illicit transfer of arms into the country. The European Union contributes to this effort through Operation IRINI, which is currently the only initiative to implement the UN arms embargo on Libya. We look forward to the discussions on the mandate renewal of this key operation next month.
Finally, Madame President,
The recent decision by Libya’s Internal Security Agency to suspend the work of ten humanitarian NGOs and the consequences that these orders will have on the provision of health and humanitarian services in Libya is particularly worrisome.
These orders will negatively impact the tens of thousands of migrants, asylum seekers and refugees that are particularly vulnerable.
We are also deeply alarmed by the reported violations of international law, including human rights law by Libyan security actors as well as the lack of accountability. Accountability efforts must be strengthened for the victims and survivors of international crimes. We recall the important role this Council gave the International Criminal Court in this regard and look forward to next month’s update on the ICC’s work regarding Libya. We welcome UNSMIL’s statement reiterating Libya’s obligations to cooperate with the ICC regarding arrest warrants.
Madame President, to conclude,
In light with the recommendations from SRSG Tetteh today, we call on all stakeholders to engage with UNSMIL and act in the best interest of the Libyan people, instead of prioritizing individual, economic or political gains. The goal for all should be to achieve national reconciliation and establish a democratic state through national elections, paving the way for a peaceful, stable and prosperous Libya.
Thank you.