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Amid calls for the Security Council to help sustain the significant momentum under way to build a democratic, unified Libya, the top United Nations official in that country urged the 15-member organ during a 28 January video conference meeting to adopt a resolution calling for the dissolution of all remaining parallel executive entities set up by the opposing political forces.
“Libyans are keen to turn the page, to reclaim Libyan sovereignty and ownership of their destiny as a people after many years of relentless armed conflict, societal fragmentation and crippling institutional division,” said Stephanie Williams, acting Special Representative and Head of the United Nations Support Mission in Libya (UNSMIL). “This rejuvenation of Libyan patriotism must be sustained, harnessed and supported by this Council to open a new path for Libya towards democracy, respect for human rights, accountability and justice under the rule of law.”
Highlighting positive developments following the Berlin international conference on Libya held one year ago, she said the intra-Libyan dialogues, facilitated by UNSMIL through the complementary political, military and economic tracks, have produced tangible progress: a ceasefire is in place; the Tunis Road Map adopted in mid-November 2020 has charted the path for restoring democratic legitimacy by setting a clear date for national elections and for the establishment of a unified, temporary executive authority; and long-overdue economic-financial reforms are well under way.
Although the conference did not put an immediate end to the conflict nor end foreign support to the warring parties, the Berlin process “did what was envisioned,” she stressed, noting that it created an international umbrella for the United Nations to work directly with the Libyan parties, military officers, political forces and thought leaders to seek a “Libyan-Libyan” resolution.
In a digital dialogue last week, 76 per cent of the 1,000 Libyan participants from across the country and abroad supported the holding of national elections on 24 December, with the majority calling for an end to the years-long transitional period, Ms. Williams said. Sixty-nine per cent of participants believed that a unified interim executive authority is needed in the run-up to elections. However, more than 70 per cent feared obstruction from what they described as the “status quo” party and called for a stronger United Nations role in ending foreign interference and for the continuation of the United Nations‑facilitated dialogues.
The ceasefire agreement — signed on 23 October between the internationally recognized Government of National Accord and the Libyan Arab Armed Forces under General Khalifa Haftar — continues to be observed and the 5+5 Joint Military Commission consisting of officials from both sides remains active, she said.
Ahead of the 23 January deadline set by the ceasefire agreement for foreign fighters and mercenaries to depart Libya, the Commission affirmed that they will continue their work to implement all provisions of the agreement, also reiterating in a public statement the need for the immediate repatriation of all mercenaries and foreign fighters from the entire Libyan territories. She stressed that responsibility for implementing the ceasefire agreement rests with the political and military leadership of both sides.
On 19 January, she said, the Libyan Political Dialogue Forum — comprising 26 representatives from the country’s two assemblies and 49 United Nations-picked independents — voted to approve the proposed mechanism to select a new executive authority to govern Libya in the lead up to national elections. The one-week nomination period for the submission of candidacies for the positions of a three‑member Presidency Council and of Prime Minister closes today, with the Dialogue Forum to convene outside Geneva for the voting process from 1 to 5 February.
Reminding all prospective candidates that high office comes with high responsibilities, she also appealed to all parties, States with vested interests in Libya, and those Libyans seeking executive office to be aware that Libya’s future is in their hands.
In the ensuing discussion, Security Council members welcomed the appointments of Ján Kubiš as Special Envoy of the Secretary-General, of Raisedon Zenenga as Mission Coordinator and of Georgette Gagnon as Resident and Humanitarian Coordinator, also thanking Ms. Williams' efforts over the past year in the wake of Ghassan Salamé’s resignation.
Delegates also echoed the Secretary-General’s appeal to all regional and international actors to respect the provisions of the ceasefire agreement, including the complete departure of all foreign fighters and mercenaries from Libya, while calling on all actors to respect the arms embargo.
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