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UNSMIL/Libya Sanctions - Security Council VTC Briefing
Delegates Stress Need to Fully Implement Ceasefire, Hold Scheduled Elections
While the ceasefire in Libya is holding, continued violations of the United Nations arms embargo and delays in withdrawing foreign mercenaries are threatening to disrupt hard-won gains in the country’s transitional process ahead of upcoming elections, the United Nations top official for Libya told the Security Council today during a videoconference meeting.
Ján Kubiš, Special Envoy of the Secretary-General and Head of the United Nations Support Mission in Libya (UNSMIL), presented the Secretary-General’s latest progress report (document S/2021/451), pointing to “renewed hope” for Libya’s reunification and sustainable peace for the country and wider region thanks to positive developments over recent months.
A critical task remains, however, for Libyan authorities and institutions — namely, the holding of free, fair and secure parliamentary and presidential elections on 24 December, he said. The House of Representatives must clarify the constitutional basis for these elections and adopt necessary electoral legislation no later than 1 July to allow Libya’s High National Elections Commission adequate time to prepare.
“The significant progress and achievements in the past many months must be consolidated, the processes must regain momentum,” he said, stressing that “the authorities and institutions of Libya must live up to their responsibilities”, and the international community must provide meaningful support to help advance national reconciliation and unification.
For its part, UNSMIL assisted the Legal Committee of the Libyan Political Dialogue Forum in developing a proposal for this constitutional basis, which will be discussed by the Forum at its plenary meeting scheduled for 26 and 27 May, he said. The national elections commission has already revised the voters list for an upcoming voter registration update and begun producing 2.3 million voter cards for those voters who registered in previous electoral processes.
At the local level, the Central Committee for Municipal Council Elections aims to conclude 70 outstanding council elections this year, including in Libya’s eastern region. He pointed out, however, that these efforts will be futile if the legislature does not adopt necessary electoral legislation in time to implement credible national elections.
Turning to the security situation, he said: “The ceasefire continues to hold,” and confidence-building between the two sides continues. Nevertheless, progress on key issues — such as the reopening of the coastal road between Sirte and Misrata and the withdrawal of foreign mercenaries — has stalled, entrenching the country’s division. Further, a recent United Nations report “painted a bleak picture” of non-compliance with the arms embargo, in contravention of Council resolutions 2570 (2021) and 2571 (2021).
“The continued use, presence and activities of thousands of mercenaries, foreign fighters and armed groups is a significant threat not just to Libya’s security, but to the region as a whole,” he said, pointing out that recent, disturbing events in Chad serve as a reminder of the link between the security situation in Libya and stability in the region.
The timely withdrawal of foreign fighters must be accompanied by increased efforts in Libya and the wider region to address the root causes of instability through inclusive reconciliation, peacebuilding and development, he said. To this end, the presidency announced on 5 April creation of a High National Reconciliation Commission, supported by the United Nations and the African Union, to promote rights-based reconciliation, transitional justice and meaningful participation by women, youth and all Libya’s cultural components.
“The common thread running through all the human rights challenges in Libya is impunity,” he observed, emphasizing that any efforts towards sustainable peace will fail unless Libya addresses the violence perpetrated by all sides in the cycles of conflict — horrors embodied by the recent discovery of over 100 mass graves in Tarhuna.
Highlighting the grave situation of 575,000 migrants and refugees from over 41 countries currently in Libya, he said that more than 500 have died and 9,135 have been returned to Libya so far this year. Most are arbitrarily detained in extremely poor conditions, to which humanitarian agencies have little to no access. Thousands are missing or unaccounted for in the official detention system, he said, calling on the Government of National Unity to prevent arbitrary detention by establishing a judicial review system in line with recent commitments.
T. S. Tirumurti (India), also briefing the Council in his capacity as Chair of the Security Council Committee established pursuant to resolution 1970 (2011) concerning Libya, outlined the Committee’s activities since the start of his Chairmanship, on 1 January, as described in a report covering the broader period since his predecessor’s last briefing to the Council. Recalling that the Council extended the authorization of time-bound measures against the illicit export of crude oil and other petroleum products from Libya — as well as the mandate of the Panel of Experts helping to oversee them — on 16 April, he said the imposed arms embargo, travel ban and assets freeze were not timebound and continue to apply.
During the reporting period, he said, the Committee heard several briefings by the Panel of Experts, including on reported incidents of violations of those measures. In closed sessions, members voiced concern about those developments, as well as reported human-rights violations and the continued presence of foreign fighters and mercenaries in Libya. The recent publication of the Panel Of Experts’ final report was preceded by leaks to media outlets of some of its contents and misinformation was spread, developments on which members voiced their deep concern. He also outlined a range of letters, updates and reports received from various countries related to requested exemptions from the sanctions measures and other matters, as well as the Committee’s responses to them.
In the ensuing debate, Council members stressed the importance of maintaining the current pace towards holding elections on 24 December, echoing the Special Envoy’s 1 July deadline for the adoption of administrative and legislative measures necessary to facilitate the same.
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