8135th Security Council Meeting: Situation in Sudan and South Sudan

The Council strongly urged all parties to engage constructively in the process without preconditions. As a first priority and a sign of commitment, the Council called on all parties to end hostilities as they had pledged.

Referring to a briefing received from IGAD Special Envoy Ismail Wais on pre‑Forum consultations, the Council also urged the parties to agree to an implementation timeline, monitored arrangements to stop the conflict, steps to improve the human rights and humanitarian situation, inclusive governance arrangements and a political process with an agreed path to viable elections.

The Council further urged the parties to agree on strong monitoring and enforcement mechanisms for whatever was agreed through the Forum, to ensure that “there is cost and consequence for those who violate the agreement”.

Calling on the Government of South Sudan to honour its commitment to cooperating fully with UNMISS and condemning actions against United Nations and humanitarian workers and civilians, the Council highlighted the UNMISS mandate to investigate abuses of human rights and humanitarian law. It reiterated that perpetrators of violations must be held accountable.

The meeting began at 3:05 p.m. and ended at 3:15 p.m.

• Categories: Meetings & Events / Security Council
• Video Length: 00:08:45
• Production Date: 14 December 2017
• Asset Language: Arabic; Chinese; English; French; Russian; Spanish
• Corporate Name: INTERGOVERNMENTAL AUTHORITY ON DEVELOPMENT - IGAD; UNITED NATIONS MISSION IN SOUTH SUDAN – UNMISS
• Subject Topical: CONFLICT SITUATION; ECONOMIC CONDITIONS; HUMAN RIGHTS VIOLATIONS; PEACE PROCESS; POLITICAL CRISIS
• Geographic Subject: LIBYA; SOUTH SUDAN
• MAMS Id: 2059958
• Parent Id: 2059503

Description

Reaffirming its commitment to the sovereignty, independence, territorial integrity and national unity of Libya, the Security Council today reiterated that the Libyan Political Agreement of 17 December 2015 remained the only viable framework to end the Libyan political crisis and that its implementation remained key to holding elections and finalizing the political transition.

In presidential statement S/PRST/2017/26, read out by Koro Bessho (Japan), Council President for December, the 15‑member organ emphasised the continuity of the Agreement throughout Libya’s transitional period and rejected incorrect deadlines that only serve to undermine the United Nations‑facilitated political process.

Reaffirming its endorsement of the United Nations Action Plan for an inclusive Libyan‑owned political process under the leadership of the Organization, the Council welcomed progress already made and looked forward to preparation for elections. In that regard, it welcomed the launch of the registration campaign by the High National Elections Commission.

The Council strongly urged all Libyans to redouble efforts to work together in a spirit of compromise and to engage urgently and constructively in the inclusive political process. It reiterated the importance of the meaningful participation of women throughout the process and reaffirmed that any attempt, including by Libyan parties, to undermine the Libyan‑led, United Nations‑facilitated political process was unacceptable.

Underlining the importance of unifying and strengthening Libya’s armed forces under civilian oversight, the Council further underscored the importance of Libya’s national economic institutions, reiterating that the Government of National Accord must exercise sole and effective oversight over those institutions, in accordance with Libyan law.

The Council also condemned recent violence across Libya, underscoring that there could be no military solution to the crisis, and called on all Libyans to respect the ceasefire, as called for in the Joint Declaration issued on 25 July.

The meeting started at 3:17 p.m. and ended at 3:23 p.m.