SECURITY COUNCIL BRIEFING ON THE SITUATION IN LIBYA (UNSMIL)
STATEMENT BY THE A-3 (GABON, GHANA, KENYA)
DELIVERED BY AMB. MARTIN KIMANI, PERMANENT REPRESENTATIVE
THURSDAY, 26 MAY 2022 (3:00PM)
Thank you Madam President
1. It is my honour to deliver this statement on behalf of the A3, namely Gabon, Ghana and Kenya.
2. We thank Under Secretary General, Rosemary Di Carlo, and Amb. Tirumurti, Chair of the 1970 Committee for their briefings. We also welcome the participation of our colleague, Amb. Taher El-Sonni, Permanent Representative of Libya.
Madam President,
3. We acknowledge the ongoing efforts by the Special Adviser to the Secretary General, Ms. Stephanie Williams, in bringing together the Joint Committee of the House of Representatives and the High State Council in dialogue.
4. We note the positive outcomes of the session held from 15th to 20th May in Cairo under the auspices of the United Nations. We laud the members of the Joint Committee for their cooperation and dedication to the talks.
5. This demonstrates the ability of the political class in Libya to opt for dialogue in breaking the current political stalemate. We urge all Libyans to insist on dialogue as the best option for a Libyan-led and owned peace process.
6. We have noted with concern reports of mobilisation of armed groups in and around Tripoli as well as sporadic outbreaks of violence. We emphasise that violence cannot deliver peace for Libyans. It will only deliver pain for the vulnerable and a more deeply divided nation. We, therefore, urge the leadership and people of Libya to exercise restraint, shun violence and seek to resolve their differences by peaceful means.
7. We believe that dialogue and reconciliation will achieve gradual yet firm and sustainable outcomes, including a constitutional framework that enjoys the widest possible consensus for the delivery of credible elections. It is important to have it mainstreamed in all tracks and stages of the peace process which must be inclusive of all stakeholders, including women and the youth.
8. It is for this reason that the African Union has committed to support an inclusive and comprehensive national reconciliation process as highlighted in Security Council resolution 2510. We invite all Members of this Council to join in strongly embedding such support in the mandate of UNSMIL.
Madam President,
9. We continue urging fellow Members of the Council that we provide UNSMIL with the necessary support for the effective execution of its mandate. This includes starting to genuinely work together to achieve a substantive renewal of the mandate in July.
10. We look forward to the implementation of the provisions of resolution 2629 including the appointment of a Special Representative of the Secretary General. In this regard, Africa avails its rich capacity, including the critical appreciation of the impact of the conflict in Libya on the region, for the Secretary General’s consideration.
11. We believe that an SRSG who has a deep understanding of the security threats of the conflict in Libya on the Sahel and the wider region, will reinvigorate UN efforts in support of the Libyan peace process. Such an SRSG will also contribute to the necessary safeguard against the spillover of instability into the region and beyond.
Madam President,
12. We condemn the continued foreign interference in Libya especially as manifested by the continued presence of foreign fighters and mercenaries as well as rampant undue political influence. The reports of increased politicisation of the oil sector which is Libya’s economic mainstay for individual gains in deeply concerning. We demand the protection of the Libyan oil resources for the people of Libya.
13. We also call for the immediate withdrawal of foreign fighters, foreign forces and mercenaries from Libya and the implementation of the Comprehensive Action Plan of the 5+5 Joint Military Commission of October 2021.
14. We remind this Council that all Libya’s frozen assets are to be preserved and eventually returned to and for the benefit of the people of Libya. Any actions that affect these assets must be done in consultation with the Libyan authorities. In this regard, the assets freeze should be periodically reviewed to ensure that these assets are protected.
Madam. President,
15. We remain deeply concerned over the plight of migrants, refugees and asylum seekers in Libya. We are saddened by the number of people who have died trying to cross the Mediterranean Sea into Europe, and those intercepted and returned to Libyan ports, only to be detained and made to suffer more.
16. We condemn this inhumane treatment and call on all involved to desist from it. We also call on those who allocate resources to migration in Libya, including for the establishment of holding areas, to demand strict adherence to human rights and accountability.
17. To our brothers and sisters from Libya only you fully understand the cost of this unnecessarily protracted conflict. Therefore, we urge you to be inspired by your shared nationhood to engage in dialogue and reconciliation in building back. Gabon, Ghana, Kenya and Africa as a whole recommit to stand with you in this regard.
18. In conclusion, Madam President, we reaffirm our unreserved support and for a truly Libyan-led and owned peace process. We also reaffirm our respect for Libya’s territorial integrity and sovereignty.
Thank you.