S/2020/421 Security Council

I have the honour to enclose herewith a copy of the briefings provided by Ms. Stephanie Williams, Acting Special Representative of the Secretary-General and Head of the United Nations Support Mission in Libya, and Ambassador Juergen Schulz, Chair of the Security Council Committee established pursuant to resolution 1970 (2011), concerning Libya, as well as a copy of the statements delivered by the representatives of China, the Dominican Republic, Estonia, France, Indonesia, the Niger, the Russian Federation, Saint Vincent and the Grenadines, South Africa, Tunisia, the United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland, the United States of America and Viet Nam, in connection with the video-teleconference on the situation in Libya convened on Tuesday, 19 May 2020. A statement was also delivered by the representative of Libya. In accordance with the procedure set out in the letter dated 7 May 2020 from the President of the Security Council addressed to the Permanent Representatives of the members of the Security Council (S/2020/372), which was agreed in the light of the extraordinary circumstances caused by the COVID-19 pandemic, these briefings and statements will be issued as an official document of the Security Council.

Let me open with best wishes to our Muslim colleagues on the occasion of the holy month of Ramadan. Allow me also to congratulate Estonia on its presidency of the Security Council this month. I had hoped to be able to deliver a more positive report to the Security Council today but, unfortunately, just when we think that the bottom has been reached in Libya, we somehow manage to achieve new depths of violence, heartlessness and impunity. Despite our determined efforts and the Secretary-General’s plea for an immediate ceasefire to allow Libyans to respond to the common threat of coronavirus disease (COVID-19), I regret to report that there has been no lull in the fighting between the Government of National Accord (GNA) forces and General Haftar’s Libyan National Army (LNA), also known as the Libyan Arab Armed Forces. Instead, fighting has escalated, with an unprecedented increase in indirect fire in urban areas and a growing tide of suffering for civilians. For nearly 15 months since the launch of General Haftar’s attack on Tripoli in April of 2019, armed conflict has been raging in and around some of Libya’s most densely populated areas. As a result of the intensifying armed hostilities, coupled with the dire socioeconomic impact of COVID-19, including the loss of employment and livelihoods, 1 million people are now in need of some form of humanitarian assistance. That includes 400,000 internally displaced Libyans, along with 654,000 migrants, refugees and asylum seekers. In the last year alone, since the attack on Tripoli started, 201,000 Libyans have been forced to flee their homes, mostly in and around the capital. While people around the world are adjusting to the new normal of living with a global pandemic, millions of Libyans — most notably the 2 million residents of Tripoli — are living a most abnormal and terrifying existence under almost constant bombardment and with frequent water and electricity cuts. That existence is compounded by restricted movement resulting from COVID-19 preventive measures, rendering the whole situation unbearable for the majority to celebrate the holy month of Ramadan in peace. We continue to witness an alarming military build-up as a result of the uninterrupted dispatch by the foreign backers of increasingly sophisticated and lethal weapons, not to mention the recruitment of more mercenaries to both sides of the conflict. After their successful bid to retake six cities on the coastal road west of Tripoli in April, GNA forces are now seeking to roll back the LNA’s foothold in southern Tripoli by forcing the redeployment of resources and disrupting their supply lines from the nearby city of Tarhouna. Emboldened by those recent successes, the GNA showed reluctance to reciprocate a unilaterally declared cessation of all military activities announced by the LNA on 29 April on the occasion of Ramadan. On 5 May, GNA forces initiated operations to seize control of the Al-Watiya airbase but were initially repelled by unmanned aerial vehicles (UAVs) and snipers, resulting in dozens of fatalities. After repeated attempts, supported by multiple air strikes conducted by drones, GNA forces took control of the airbase on 18 May. The control of that strategic airbase may trigger further escalation, turning the Libyan conflict into a pure proxy war. As has been the case on a number of occasions, we witnessed the direct involvement of foreign parties in that operation, either with S/2020/421 UAVs or the presence on the ground of air defence systems, in blatant violation of the arms embargo. Since 24 April, Tripoli, and in particular Mitiga airport, has been subjected to nearly non-stop daily shelling. On 7 May, heavy-artillery bombardment and grad rocket attacks launched by pro-LNA forces impacted downtown Tripoli, including the seaport and the vicinity of the Foreign Ministry, the Turkish Embassy and the residence of Italy’s Ambassador to Libya, with at least two civilians killed and three others injured. Another round of shelling on targets in and around Mitiga by General Haftar’s forces on 15 May hit three warehouses of the Central Committee for Municipal Council Elections, destroying a sizable amount of electoral material. Once again, we call for the immediate cessation of attacks against civilians and civilian infrastructure, while calling on the GNA to restore the civilian nature of Mitiga airport. Military operations in and around Tarhouna have caused new displacement and negatively impacted humanitarian access to the city. I am concerned about UAV attacks by the GNA over the past two months on vehicles travelling between Mizdah and Tarhouna as well as in Bani Walid, which caused collateral damage to vehicles carrying non-combat-related items like food, goods and fuel and resulted in civilian casualties. Since my last briefing, the Al-Khadra hospital, which was assigned to receive patients infected with COVID-19, was hit on four separate days by LNA rockets, along with the Royal Hospital, the field medical support centre in Tariq Al-Matar and the Weryemma polyclinic, causing the facilities to be evacuated. On 16 May, shelling carried out by Haftar’s forces struck a shelter for internally displaced persons and migrants in Tripoli’s Al-Furnaj district. At least seven persons were killed and 17 injured, including women and children. It was not the first time that camp has been targeted. On 10 May, an armed group opened fire inside the intensive care unit in Al-Jalaa hospital in Benghazi, damaging equipment, while the Tripoli Central Hospital sustained damage as a result of LNA rocket attacks. I would be remiss not to reiterate that such attacks violate international humanitarian law and may amount to war crimes. Between 1 April and 18 May, the United Nations Support Mission in Libya (UNSMIL) documented at least 248 civilian casualties — 58 killed and 190 injured — an 89 per cent increase compared to the total civilian casualties recorded for the first three months of this year. The vast majority of the total civilian casualties are attributed to forces affiliated with General Haftar. Those guilty of crimes under international law must be brought to justice. We are also concerned by attacks on civilians, the desecration of corpses and retribution, including looting, robberies and torching of public and private properties, in western coastal towns recently seized by GNA forces. On 14 April, following the GNA forces’ takeover of the city of Surman, the Martyr Othman Hamza Company, affiliated with the GNA, broke into Surman prison and unlawfully released 401 prisoners. In Tarhouna, on 5 April, the LNA-affiliated armed group 9th Brigade killed at least nine civilians and demolished seven houses, after forcibly evicting families from their homes and abducting seven women, whose fate remains unknown. Social media is another theatre of the Libyan conflict. Building on the workshops we ran last year to counter incitement and the use of hateful rhetoric in the media, UNSMIL organized a virtual forum in April with nearly 30 prominent Libyan traditional and social media figures from across the spectrum. We were S/2020/421 pleased to see the participants agree to establish a hate speech observatory under the auspices of UNSMIL and to produce a code of ethics. COVID-19 compounds existing insecurity, in addition to exacerbating long- standing vulnerabilities. The United Nations system is hard at work to assist national authorities, including through the provision of supplies, equipment and training. Testing capacity has been scaled up. There are now five operational laboratories in the country, up from two, but more are needed, including the qualified personnel to operate them. As of 18 May, there were 65 confirmed cases, including three COVID- related deaths, reported across Libya. According to the World Health Organization, the peak has not yet been reached in Libya and the risk of an intensification of the outbreak remains very high. It should also be noted that the low count of positive cases is proportional to the low testing capacity, contact tracing and fear of social stigmatization in the country. Although the national authorities have provided frequent updates on financial pledges to address the COVID-19 pandemic, including for the purchase of medical equipment and the payment of salaries to medical workers, these have been slow to materialize and salaries to be fully paid. Local authorities across Libya face severe shortages of functioning hospitals, intensive care units, vital medical equipment and supplies, including personal protective equipment. According to a recent World Health Organization survey, while 75 per cent of primary health centres are open, only 20 per cent are delivering services. Likewise, humanitarian actors face access constraints in moving humanitarian supplies into and around the country, and flights carrying medical supplies have not been able to land owing to a lack of clearances in Benghazi. Negotiating clearances to operate during curfews imposed due to COVID-19, as well as ongoing insecurity, has delayed relief distributions. To mitigate the spread of COVID-19, and in response to advocacy from UNSMIL, I welcome the reported release by the Libyan authorities of more than 2,000 prisoners and detainees between 25 March and 15 May. The Supreme Judicial Council, the Public Prosecution Service and the Ministry of Justice have demonstrated a desire to protect prisoners and detainees from COVID-19, and we encourage them to release further prisoners, particularly women and children, persons with disabilities or medical conditions, older persons, migrants and refugees. With technical support and equipment provided by the United Nations, Al-Jadida prison in Tripoli hosted several successful remote court hearings between 15 and 30 April. I remain very concerned about the situation of migrants and asylum seekers in Libya. Since January, more than 3,200 have been intercepted at sea and returned to Libya, frequently to abusive conditions in detention, while others have disappeared altogether. UNSMIL is also concerned about the expulsion of at least 1,400 migrants and refugees from eastern Libya this year, in violation of Libya’s international human rights law obligations on non-refoulement and collective expulsions, and about the risk that more may soon be forcibly deported. We have received reports of the failure to assist and of coordinated pushbacks of migrant boats in the central Mediterranean, which continues to be one of the deadliest migration routes in the world. Both Italy and Malta — and now Libya as well — have closed their ports to the disembarkation of migrants rescued at sea, citing health concerns related to COVID-19. I stress that the stabilization of populations in Libya will come, first and foremost, through an immediate ceasefire followed by a full return to political dialogue. I would like to urge Member States to respond to our call for COVID-dedicated funding and to ramp up support for the 2020 humanitarian response plan, which is seriously underfunded at 14 per cent. The lack of funding is hampering our ability to combat the pandemic and ensure that existing vulnerabilities are not exacerbated.There is a risk that violence may expand in southern Libya as the conflict sharpens existing divisions. In the southern city of Sabha, the recently sworn-in elected municipal council was suspended after it made a statement supportive of the LNA on 26 April, leading the GNA Ministry of Local Governance to replace it with an appointed steering committee. The elected council has filed an appeal of the GNA’s decision. I encourage the Government to engage in a constructive dialogue with the elected council in order to safeguard democratic processes in Libya. Municipal service delivery should be shielded from national politics. We commend the perseverance of Libya’s local electoral committee officials who continue preparations to resume municipal council elections despite tremendous challenges. Another 38 local elections are planned to be held in 2020; municipal councils and the Central Committee for Municipal Council Elections are considering special measures to provide a safe environment for voting during the pandemic. Elections are planned in several municipalities in June and July, including in Misrata. The fighting, compounded by COVID-19 and the ongoing oil blockade, poses an unprecedented challenge to the already fraught socioeconomic situation in Libya. The blockade itself has already cost Libya over $4 billion. With a looming budget deficit of 26 billion dinars in 2020, the Central Bank of Libya has imposed austerity measures, including limits on foreign exchange. All of this has led to a loss of income, food shortages, price spikes and supply chain disruptions. The parallel market exchange rate has increased from 4.1 dinars to the dollar in January to 6.1 today, further impacting people’s purchasing power. Many of the gains from the economic reforms enacted in 2018 have been erased. I have engaged both the Prime Minister and the Governor of the Central Bank to address the country’s financial crisis and encourage dialogue with the aim of implementing a series of reforms to both mitigate the national deficit and improve the lives of the average Libyan. This month, the Ministry of Justice delivered an encouraging ruling on the legality of the international audit. Another worrisome trend is the weaponization of vital services. Since the end of March, there have been four incidents, two that cut water supplies from the Great Man-Made River and two that cut natural gas supplies to electrical power plants. Those acts are reprehensible at any time but particularly so at a time when the country is suffering from the effects of war and a global pandemic. In a positive development, on 3 May the National Oil Corporation (NOC) managed to restore the institutional integrity of the national fuel distribution company, Brega, by reunifying the management committee. We welcome that development, as it maintains the impartiality and effectiveness of the NOC. I assure the Council that the United Nations will not relent in our effort to get Libya’s political and military leaders to assume their responsibilities and commit to a ceasefire and a political settlement. In the wake of recent military developments, it appears there may be a window to breathe new life into some political activity. On 23 April, House of Representatives President Saleh announced a new political initiative, calling for the social and political constituencies representing the east, the west and the south to elect their own representatives to a three-member Presidency Council, under the supervision of the United Nations. In contrast, on the same day, General Haftar regrettably reiterated that he considers the Libyan Political Agreement and the current Presidency Council void and requested that Libyans choose an institution to lead the country for a transitional period. In a follow-up speech just four days later, on 27 April, General Haftar “accepted” what he believes is a popular mandate for his General Command to play a greater governance role. On a more positive note, on 5 May, Prime Minister Serraj publicly S/2020/421 welcomed all political initiatives that called for a peaceful solution to the Libyan crisis and urged all parties to resume political talks either within the framework of the Libyan Political Agreement, or via an agreement to hold elections under an agreed constitutional framework. Should the talks be held under the Libyan Political Agreement framework, Mr. Serraj referred to the restructuring of the executive, including formation of a Presidency Council with three members, and a Government headed by a prime minister. We welcome the constructive stance taken by the Prime Minister and the House of Representatives President and any political initiatives that are inclusive and aimed at ending the fighting and finding a peaceful solution to the conflict under the framework of the conclusions of the 19 January international conference in Berlin and resolution 2510 (2020). Our mission remains to help Libyans rebuild a State strong enough to peacefully contain political differences. We have engaged with the GNA and the LNA to build on the draft ceasefire agreement put forward at the 23 February 5+5 Joint Military Commission talks in Geneva. The Mission is analysing comments on the draft agreement provided by the GNA team. We are still waiting to receive feedback from the LNA General Command. I request the Council’s assistance to ensure that we receive a response at the earliest to resume these much-needed exchanges. The existing draft constitutes the most solid basis for a resumption of discussion. We appreciate the support expressed by participants in the Berlin Conference. In the same spirit, we hope to count on their backing to urgently stop the inflow of military support from abroad in violation of the United Nations arms embargo. The European Union launched its Naval Force Mediterranean Operation IRINI on 1 April. We welcome all efforts to support the implementation of the United Nations arms embargo, in line with resolution 2292 (2016), and encourage Member States to contribute to its monitoring and implementation in a comprehensive manner. We equally appreciate the interest of Member States and our Libya quartet partner organizations to engage within the international follow-up committee on Libya, which convened at the senior officials’ level on 2 April and 13 May. The raison d’être of the Committee is to ensure the implementation of the Berlin commitments. Discussions have begun in the four thematic working groups established under the Committee. The groups form a critical tool not only to support UNSMIL but also to demonstrate to Libyans that the Berlin Conference can deliver on its promises. As we survey the carnage wrought by almost 15 months of unrelenting violence in Libya, I believe we have a reached another turning point in the conflict. From what we are witnessing in terms of the massive influx of weaponry, equipment and mercenaries on both sides, the only conclusion we can draw is that this war will intensify, broaden and deepen, with devastating consequences for the Libyan people. As the foreign intervention increases, the Libyans themselves are getting lost in the mix, their voices crowded out. We must not let Libya slip away. We must enable responsible Libyans to write their own future. By coming together now, the Security Council can ensure the collective security it is mandated to maintain by applying consistent and credible pressure on those regional and international actors that are fuelling the conflict. We can collectively write a different ending to this heretofore sad tale, but only if we demonstrate the collective will to do so.

Today I have the honour to brief the Security Council on the activities of the Committee established pursuant to resolution 1970 (2011) about its activities conducted during the period of 30 January to 19 May, in accordance with paragraph 24 (e) the resolution. The Committee conducted its work using the silence procedure with the aim of facilitating the implementation of the sanctions measures. At the outset, I would like to recall that, on 11 February, the Security Council adopted resolution 2509 (2020), by which it extended the time-bound authorizations and measures aimed at preventing illicit exports of petroleum, including crude oil and refined petroleum products, from Libya to 30 April 2021. The arms embargo, the travel ban and the assets freeze are not time-bound and continue to apply. The resolution also extended the mandate of the Panel of Experts to 15 May 2021. Thereafter, on 10 March, the Secretary-General appointed six individuals to serve on the Panel. I would like to recall the privileges and immunities enjoyed by experts on mission under the 1946 Convention on the Privileges and Immunities of the United Nations. Owing to the coronavirus disease pandemic, the newly appointed Panel of Experts was unable to travel to New York to present its work programme to the Committee. Instead, the Panel provided its programme in writing and subsequently, on 15 May, discussed it with the Committee members via videoconference. In my last report, I informed the Council that the Committee had agreed to take action on two recommendations addressed to it in the Panel’s final report submitted pursuant to resolution 2441 (2018) (S/2019/914). Accordingly, the Committee updated identifiers on its sanctions list on 25 February and considered the Panel of Expert’s second recommendation pertaining to the assets freeze, on 5 March. Furthermore, the Committee considered and approved a response letter to the Libyan Investment Authority, a designated entity, addressing questions raised with regard to the assets freeze measure and the applicability of various exemptions under the Libya sanctions regime. Since my last report, the Committee received seven written updates from the Panel of Experts, five of them focusing on aspects of the implementation of the arms embargo and two on events related to crude oil exports from Libya and the import of Jet A-1 aviation fuel to Libya. Upon recommendation of the Panel of Experts, the Committee decided to share two of the updates with concerned Member States for their information. As for the travel ban, the Committee considered and approved a request to amend the travel dates of Ms. Safia Farkash Al-Barassi, for travel already approved during the previous reporting period. The Committee also received, in the current reporting period, a communication from its Libyan focal point pursuant to resolution 2146 (2014). I note that the primary responsibility to implement sanctions measures rests with Member States. The Committee is committed to facilitating the implementation of these measures and seeks to contribute to promoting peace and stability in Libya.S/2020/421

I thank Acting Special Representative of the Secretary-General Williams and Ambassador Schulz for their briefings, and welcome Ambassador Elsonni to this meeting. The current situation in Libya is complex, sensitive and fragile, seriously affecting the security and stability of neighbouring countries and the whole region. The situation is subject to rapid change. China has been closely following the developments in Libya. Under the current circumstances, the people of Libya deserve a peaceful environment to fight the coronavirus disease (COVID-19) pandemic. I wish to make four main points. First, the current priority is to achieve a lasting ceasefire. We express our concern regarding the attacks against civilians and relevant infrastructure. There is no military solution for Libya. We call on all parties to the conflict for a cessation of hostilities and to achieve a lasting ceasefire as soon as possible. China welcomes all efforts conducive to a lasting ceasefire in response to the global ceasefire appeal by the Secretary-General, and encourages the resumption of the work of the 5+5 Joint Military Commission. Now is the time to be united, since conflicts only deepen the suffering of the people. Secondly, global synergies should be strengthened to promote the peace process. The international community should remain committed to the Libyan-led and Libyan-owned political process under the framework of the United Nations. China supports the continued leading role of the United Nations, and calls for the appointment of new Special Representative of the Secretary-General as soon as possible for the sake of the peace process in Libya. During the process, Libya’s sovereignty, independence and territorial integrity should be respected. The African Union and the League of Arab States, being uniquely positioned to mediate a conflict between the parties, should be supported in playing their respective roles and ensure synergies between their efforts and those of the United Nations. Thirdly, unremitting efforts must be made to combat terrorism. Terrorism within and around Libya seems to have resurrected. The international community must stay highly vigilant on this trend, strengthen coordination and cooperation and work together to tackle challenges. It is imperative to combat terrorism in all its forms across Libya and, at the same time, guard against the cross-border movement of foreign terrorist fighters. We must never allow Libya to become the breeding ground for terrorism. Fourthly, sanctions measures must be used properly and effectively. China’s consistent position is that sanctions are a means rather an end. Sanctions regimes should always serve the political settlement of relevant issues. Under the current circumstances, it is important to strictly enforce the arms embargo against Libya, and refrain from a military intervention or any action that could aggravate the conflict. Now we have a common enemy in the COVID-19 pandemic. Only by maintaining unity and solidarity can the parties in Libya they bring peace and prosperity to Libyan people and effectively fight the COVID-19 pandemic. We highly appreciate the assistance provided to Libya by the World Health Organization in fighting the pandemic. China will continue to provide assistance to Libya to fight COVID-19, facilitate the Libyan political process and support the Libyan people in their pursuit of peace and stability.

We would like to start by praising the tireless efforts on the ground of the staff of the United Nations Support Mission in Libya, as well as the formidable work of the Panel of Experts of the Committee established pursuant to resolution 1970 (2011). We also thank the Acting Special Representative of the Secretary-General, Stephanie Williams, and Ambassador Juergen Schulz for their briefings. The Dominican Republic strongly condemns the continued flagrant attacks on civilians and civilian infrastructure, especially residential areas, airports and hospitals in and around Tripoli, which inevitably add to the human suffering. It is unacceptable that more than seven health facilities have been directly targeted or impacted so far in 2020, and more than 62 attacks of this nature were reported in 2019. The continued violations of the arms embargo, which clearly undermine the Secretary-General’s call for a global ceasefire, are particularly worrisome and gravely hamper the ability of the Libyan authorities to effectively tackle the impact of the coronavirus disease outbreak. We express grave concern for the dire humanitarian situation these actions create for the most vulnerable groups, including women, children and internally displaced persons, refugees and migrants, as well as political prisoners and human rights defenders currently being held in detention centres. In this regard, we reaffirm our call to ensure unhindered access to humanitarian aid and personnel, while encouraging a return to the negotiating table, in order to attain an immediate and unconditional ceasefire. We deeply regret the announcement made on 27 April by General Khalifa Haftar declaring himself leader of Libya. These developments most certainly undermine United Nations-led dialogue initiatives. It is clear that, in Libya, despite the challenges, young people have managed to start many initiatives for national reconciliation to resolve the conflict. However, this does not match the low numbers of young participants in reconciliation committees. We therefore support UNSMIL efforts in mainstreaming gender and ensuring the meaningful participation of women and young people throughout the three-track dialogues, as well as the capacity-building provided by the United Nations Mine Action Service to young people and women, aimed at addressing the proliferation of small arms and light weapons. The Dominican Republic welcomes the ongoing efforts of the European Union on the implementation of the Berlin Conference conclusions, the international follow-up committee on Libya and the establishment of the European Union Naval Force Mediterranean Operation IRINI, and highlights the importance of close consultations with the internationally recognized Government of National Accord, in addition to regional organizations and neighbouring countries. We applaud the positive steps taken on the military, economic and political tracks, and encourage the negotiations within the framework of intra-Libyan dialogue to continue in good faith, to achieve sustainable peace for the Libyan people. With regard to the 1970 Committee, we thank the Panel of Experts for its relentless endeavours in shedding light on critical events taking place on the ground in Libya. The countless flagrant violations like the ones mentioned in the recent S/2020/421 S/2020/421 Panel of Experts reports shall not continue to be committed with impunity, and we urge all members to exercise restraint. Furthermore, in order for the Panel of Experts to work efficiently, Member States should continue to share information as requested by the Panel in a timely manner. To conclude, we reaffirm the United Nations central role in facilitating a Libyan-led, Libyan-owned political process, and urge the Secretary-General to appoint a Special Representative for Libya as soon as possible.

I thank Acting Special Representative Stephanie Williams for her informative briefing. We fully support the work of the United Nations Support Mission in Libya (UNSMIL) and the United Nations-facilitated political process in Libya. In that regard, we sincerely hope that the new Special Representative of the Secretary- General for Libya will be appointed as soon as possible. I also wish to thank the Secretary-General for his report on the latest developments in Libya (S/2020/360), which, however, paints a grim picture of the situation on the ground. We are disappointed to see that the fighting and military escalation continue despite the promises made by both parties to the conflict to respect the Secretary-General’s call for a global ceasefire in the face of the coronavirus disease (COVID-19) pandemic. To make matters worse, the growing number of attacks, including shelling, mortar fire and small arms fire, is causing more civilian casualties, as well as damaging and destroying vital civilian infrastructure such as health-care facilities and schools. Considering the already dire humanitarian situation and the spread of COVID-19 in the country, the indiscriminate attacks against hospitals are the most appalling. The latest attack on a shelter for displaced people in Tripoli must be condemned in the strongest terms. All violations of international humanitarian law and human rights law need to be addressed, and the perpetrators must be held accountable. The parties to the conflict must return to the negotiating table. The responsibility to stop the ongoing escalation lies not only with the conflicting parties but also with the international community and the Council. That brings me to the issue of the arms embargo implementation. Unless the flagrant violations of the United Nations sanctions regime and the outside actors’ involvement stop, Libya does not stand a chance for peace. It is a positive development that the Berlin process is continuing despite the restrictions imposed to fight the pandemic. We call on all the participants to uphold the commitments they made at the Berlin Conference. Estonia continues to support the United Nations-led three-track approach to the political process in Libya. It is regrettable that the draft ceasefire agreement that was negotiated by the 5+5 Joint Military Commission in February has not yet been signed. We urge the parties to take concrete steps in bringing forward a political solution to the conflict in Libya.S/2020/421

First, I would like to thank Acting Special Representative of the Secretary-General Stephanie Williams and Ambassador Schulz for their briefings. In the context of the coronavirus disease (COVID-19) pandemic, we call on the Libyan parties to cease hostilities and to find a political solution to the conflict. Both parties should formally endorse the draft ceasefire agreement concluded on 23 February within the framework of the 5+5 Joint Military Commission. That draft ceasefire agreement is a Libyan-owned document and has been agreed upon by representatives of both camps. It is also important that another meeting of the 5+5 Joint Military Commission take place as soon as possible and without preconditions, with a view to finalizing that agreement and establishing subcommittees on structural issues such as the dismantling of militias. Those are the messages that the French Minister for Foreign affairs conveyed to the Libyan leaders from both camps. A durable ceasefire should be put in place and monitored by the United Nations, and we have taken positive note of the proposal made to agree on a truce during the holy month of Ramadan, which was approved by the Libyan National Army. There can be no military solution in Libya and, in that regard, we condemn the bombing of civilian areas in Tripoli. Both parties should refrain from fuelling tensions and avert any escalation, and military interference should cease. In that regard, we regret that no element on the monitoring of a possible ceasefire by the United Nations Support Mission in Libya (UNSMIL) has been included in the most recent report of the Secretary-General (S/2020/360) in the absence of a specific report, which was requested by the Security Council in resolution 2510 (2020). We call on the parties to resume inclusive political talks as soon as possible under the auspices of the United Nations. Core issues such as elections, the type of constitution and civil-military coordination will have to be discussed as a matter of priority. This political dialogue should be relaunched with the active participation of Libya’s neighbouring countries and of the African Union, the League of Arab States and the European Union. We should collectively support the implementation of reforms of economic and financial institutions, starting with an audit of the Central Bank of Libya, in order to restore its sound and transparent governance. The equitable allocation of oil resources and the lifting of the oil blockade are also matters of priority. The Security Council and, more broadly, the United Nations must remain fully mobilized to find a solution to the Libyan crisis. The French authorities have continued their dialogue with all Libyan parties in order to find such a solution, in support of the efforts led by the United Nations mediation. In that regard, we call on the Secretary-General to appoint a new Special Representative of the Secretary- General as soon as possible. It has been almost three months since the resignation of Mr. Ghassan Salamé. We also welcome the deployment of the European Union Naval Force Mediterranean Operation IRINI, which will implement the arms embargo, which is S/2020/421 continuously being violated by both sides, and thus help to implement the outcome of the Berlin Conference and resolution 2510 (2020). IRINI will operate strictly within the framework of the relevant resolutions of the Security Council. In that regard, the renewal by the Security Council of the mechanism created by resolution 2292 (2016) is absolutely essential. France will remain fully committed to and engaged in the process of finding a political solution in Libya.

Indonesia would like to thank Ms. Stephanie Williams, the Acting Special Representative of the Secretary-General for Libya, for her briefing. We thank also Ambassador Juergen Schulz, Chair of the Security Council Committee established pursuant to resolution 1970 (2011) concerning Libya, for delivering the Committee’s thirty-eighth periodic report to the Council. Today’s meeting marks the second Ramadan since the new conflict in Libya started. Libyans are deprived of being able to celebrate the holy month in peace and are currently at risk of celebrating another Eid al-Fitr in terror. We share the concern of the Secretary-General, as stated in his most recent report (S/2020/360), that any further escalation of violence will risk reversing the fragile progress that has been achieved and further complicate the achievement of a peaceful resolution for Libya. The Council’s engagement on Libya has been long and winding. We do not need more empty narratives that have zero impact on those who are fighting on the ground and those fuelling the conflict, including by violating the arms embargo. Our term as an elected member of the Council is brief, and what we do right now will be recorded in history. At the end of the day, the ultimate question will be, how many lives have we saved? On that note, let me focus on the following points. First, we need to focus our efforts on saving the people of Libya. That includes those who are particularly vulnerable: women, children and migrants. Unfortunately, even amid the global call for a ceasefire, attacks against civilians and civilian facilities persist. Attacks against health facilities will severely impact Libya’s ability to fight the coronavirus disease (COVID-19) pandemic at the time they need it most. In the first quarter of 2020, the number of civilian casualties in Libya increased by 45 per cent compared with the last quarter of 2019, amounting to at least 131 civilian casualties. These attacks must stop. We call on all parties to fully respect international humanitarian law and take measures to protect all civilians. We also call for an expansion of humanitarian corridors during Ramadan and the COVID-19 pandemic so as to provide the space needed for humanitarian workers to reach those in need. We need to continue on the path of political dialogue, since there can never be a military solution in Libya. We join the Secretary-General’s call for all parties to continue communication and move forward with the draft ceasefire agreement produced by the 5+5 Joint Military Commission. We continue to support the work of the United Nations Support Mission in Libya (UNSMIL) and call for the immediate appointment of its new Special Representative of the Secretary-General. Secondly, we continue to support the role of its neighbours and of regional organizations, including the African Union and the League of Arab States, in assisting Libya. To that end, we echo the appreciation expressed by the Secretary- General to the Government of Tunisia and Nepal in supporting UNSMIL’s operation. Thirdly, Indonesia supports all international efforts to bring lasting peace to Libya. Nevertheless, it is important to align such efforts with existing international tracks, including resolution 2491 (2019). We continue to observe the continuation of the Berlin Conference and its follow-up, as well as all regional efforts for Libya. Finally, we do not need any further reminder that the actions of the international community must be aligned with the sole purpose of saving lives and providing lasting peace.

Allow me first of all to thank the Acting Special Representative of the Secretary-General, Ms. Stephanie Williams, for her commitment to peace and stability in Libya. I would also like to thank the Chair of the Security Council Committee established pursuant to resolution 1970 (2011) concerning Libya, Ambassador Juergen Schulz, for his outstanding briefing. Ceasefire violations by both sides in Libya have significantly undermined the peace efforts sponsored by the United Nations Support Mission in Libya (UNSMIL) and have resulted in the deaths of hundreds of innocent civilians. Thousands of people have been forced to leave their homes since the beginning of the clashes between the protagonists in the Libyan crisis. Alas, the violence has spared neither hospitals and airports nor residential areas, thus weakening the already fragile capacity of the country’s health-care system at a time when it must help respond to the coronavirus disease (COVID-19) pandemic. It cannot be said often enough that these attacks on civilian infrastructure are a flagrant violation of international humanitarian law and should stop immediately. Indeed, if health workers and patients themselves are not protected from these attacks, even in hospital facilities, which are supposedly inviolable, a coordinated and effective fight against the coronavirus pandemic will simply not be possible. That is why the Niger joins the appeal launched by seven United Nations agencies to support the Libyan population, which is dangerously threatened by the conflict and COVID-19. The Niger deplores the fact that despite the repeated calls for a humanitarian ceasefire, in particular the one launched on 23 March by the Secretary-General, hostilities are continuing unabated, hindering access and the delivery of essential humanitarian assistance. My country deplores the continued external interference and reminds all actors of the commitments they made at the Berlin Conference. We urge Council members to spare no effort and to use all their influence to help achieve a ceasefire and to create an environment conducive to political talks, in accordance with resolution 2510 (2020). Violations of the arms embargo and the introduction of foreign mercenaries into Libya to fight alongside the various factions will only increase the escalation of violence. Those acts are a source of major concern to Libya’s immediate neighbours, including the Niger in particular, and to the entire Sahel subregion in general. While it may not be the only one, the main reason for the destabilization of Libya has undoubtedly been the serious security situation facing the Sahel today. We fear that the thousands of jihadists transferred to Libya today will spread out throughout the Sahel in the same way as the Libyan army’s formidable arsenals have fuelled the destabilization that the region is facing. On the economic front, we are deeply concerned about the consequences of the continuing conflict, which is seriously hampering the proper functioning of the Libyan National Oil Corporation. Indeed, the drop in the price of oil and the difficulties faced by the Corporation will further aggravate the country’s economic difficulties, with serious consequences for the livelihoods of many Libyan families.I would like at this juncture to commend the European Union on having set up the European Union Naval Force Mediterranean Operation IRINI, in accordance with resolution 2292 (2016). We hope that the Operation will work closely with the Libyans, neighbouring countries and the African Union to ensure compliance with the arms embargo and help in the fight against organized crime, the smuggling of migrants and the illegal export of Libyan oil. The Niger hopes that the appointment of a Special Representative of the Secretary-General for Libya will take place very soon so that the momentum for peace and reconciliation in Libya can be revived. In that regard, the Niger supports the work of the Ad Hoc High-level Committee on Libya established by the African Union and expresses the hope that the inter-Libyan reconciliation conference will be organized very soon under the auspices of the African Union. Regarding the reconciliation process, my country believes that the time has come for us to show courage and imagination to find a lasting solution to the serious Libyan crisis. It is clear today that no solution to the Libyan crisis can be found without the full and complete participation of all the daughters and sons of Libya, without any exclusion. Today is the time for reconciliation. The daughters and sons of Libya have endured enough suffering to be asked again and again to pay. Libya, once a model of stability and peace, has become a country of chaos, war and distress whose immense resources are being plundered in the most abject manner. At this time, when the COVID-19 pandemic is forcing us to revisit our convictions and question our certainties, it is high time that we overcome our divisions and assume our responsibilities by working towards the only goal that is worthwhile today for Libya and its people: reconciliation, peace, justice and prosperity.

We thank the Acting Head of the United Nations Support Mission in Libya (UNSMIL), Stephanie Williams, for her briefing on the situation in Libya and the Chair of the Security Council Committee established pursuant to resolution 1970 (2011) concerning Libya, Juergen Schulz, for his report on the work of that subsidiary body. To our regret, we see how the trend of a protracted armed conflict is being consolidated in Libya. Clashes continue in various parts of the country. Unfortunately, the level of distrust between Libyan parties is so high that it is virtually impossible to enforce a ceasefire despite the calls made by many, including the Secretary-General. Humanitarian pauses introduced separately by the Government of National Accord and the Libyan National Army were not respected. The threat of coronavirus has become another challenging issue in Libya, especially given the grave humanitarian situation on the ground and basically destroyed health-care system. The parties continue to exchange aggressive rhetoric. At the same time, Mr. Agila Saleh, Speaker of the Libyan House of Representatives, called for a cessation of hostilities in connection with the holy month of Ramadan. We note that this statement contains a number of constructive proposals on how to pull Libya out of the crisis. Among them are the creation of unified bodies of power on the basis of proportional geographical representation, the development of a new constitution and the holding of presidential and parliamentary elections. We believe that these ideas could form a basis for political discussions in the framework of the comprehensive Libyan settlement process. However, so far there has been no progress in military consultations in the 5+5 format or on the political track. We believe that the early appointment of a new Special Representative of the Secretary-General for Libya can help break the deadlock in the political process. This issue is long overdue. We are convinced that further armed conflict will bring more disastrous consequences for Libya and its people. We urge all parties to immediately cease hostilities and resume dialogue under the auspices of the United Nations on all three tracks of the settlement: military, political and economic. We continue efforts in that regard, including through participation in follow-up meetings of the Berlin Conference and communication with the parties concerned. At the same time, we proceed from the principle that we have repeatedly voiced — that any decision and recommendation must be agreed in advance by the Libyans. Otherwise, we will never succeed. We would like to remind the Council of its adoption of resolution 2510 (2020). I note that Russia abstained in the voting, not because we were whimsical or capricious, but rather — as we said — because without involving the protagonists, the resolution would fail. In my explanation of vote on that resolution (see S/PV.8719), I said publicly that if I was wrong and the resolution worked, I would be the first to acknowledge it. I regret to say that I was, unfortunately, right. We are concerned about reports of ongoing violations of the arms embargo in Libya. We believe that the supply of arms and mercenaries should be stopped. That practice has continued in Libya from the very start of the conflict in 2011, when Libyan statehood was destroyed as a result of NATO’s illegal aggression. We are pushing Libyan parties to pursue dialogue and search for compromises.S/2020/421 We are closely following preparations for the launch of a European Union military operation off the Libyan coast. We once again emphasize that this operation must be in accordance with the mandate of resolution 2292 (2016). Any modification must be subject to Council review. I have listened to some allegations of Russian participation in the Libyan conflict. I will reserve my right to say a few words about it today after all speakers have spoken. We hear a lot of speculation about so-called Russian mercenaries. The United Kingdom representative went as far as to say that they are responsible for all the troubles and mishaps in Libya. That is an interesting way to shift responsibility. I remind the Council that the primary reason for all of Libya’s troubles today is NATO’s aggression, which destroyed Libyan statehood. Instead, today some prefer to miss the point and pretend to not hear. I now move on to the report of the Panel of Experts established pursuant to resolution 1973 (2011). First of all, we are dismayed that the confidential report of the Panel of Experts was leaked to the press. This is not the first time that a report of a sanctions committee Panel of Experts has been leaked. We demand an investigation of the incident by the Secretariat. We are still studying the report. However, our first reading of the text allows us to draw certain conclusions. To begin with, there is no concept of a private military company in Russian legislation. The report incorrectly interprets and arbitrarily uses excerpts from Russian law. For the most part, the report is based on unverified or clearly fabricated data and is aimed at discrediting Russia’s policy in Libya. Experts use sources of dubious quality that have a direct interest in the Libyan conflict. In the report a significant number — not just one or two — of Internet links are not working. That can be verified by anyone who ventures to do so. That is not accidental. The reliability of the information, particularly the portion based on so- called confidential discussions, is impossible to prove. Much of the data, especially regarding the Russian citizens mentioned in the report, is simply unfounded. The Russian people allegedly fighting in Libya have not left our country. The so-called wounded are quite healthy. This information is all publicly available and verifiable. It is worth noting that the lists selected by the experts were copied from the notorious Ukrainian database Myrotvorets, or “Peacemaker”. I reiterate that there are no Russian servicemen in Libya. We are aware, however, that there is a host of foreign military personnel in the country, and not just foreign terrorist fighters. If there is great interest, we are willing to disclose the names of the countries involved. Council members would be surprised to hear them. A lot of mistakes or deliberate falsifications have been made regarding weapons. In particular, it is not clear why the drone is attributed to Russia, since its manufacturing characteristics point to one of Russia’s neighbours. In the same vein, equipment that has long been in Libya is misidentified as newly exported from Russia. Another fabrication in the report is photos from Syria passed off as Libyan landscapes. Another story tells of Syrian militants transported to the west of Libya to support the Government of National Accord. Deliberately or not, the facts are turned inside out, as the report turns mercenaries associated with terrorist organizations into fighters in the Libyan National Army. These are only the most apparent mistakes in the report. To us it is clear that the report is intended to mislead the international community about Russia’s policy in Libya. We will provide a more detailed assessment of the Panel’s findings when the time is right.

I thank Ms. Stephanie Williams, Acting Special Representative of the Secretary-General for Libya, and Ambassador Juergen Schulz, Chair of the Committee established pursuant to resolution 1970 (2011) concerning Libya, for their briefings. Let me begin by extending my Government’s sincerest condolences to the families of the victims who have lost their lives as a result of the escalating violence in Libya. Saint Vincent and the Grenadines strongly condemns the incessant attacks against the civilian population and infrastructure, which only aggravate the suffering of the Libyan people. We are all the more dismayed to hear the terrifying and unbearable conditions underscored in Ms. Williams briefing this morning. It is extremely disturbing that approximately three months after the adoption of resolution 2510 (2020), the status quo in Libya remains. The security situation is extremely volatile, the humanitarian situation is grim, the economy is weak and the political impasse lingers. For the sake of the development aspirations of the Libyan people, the international community and all Libyan stakeholders cannot afford a continuation of the status quo. Accordingly, Saint Vincent and the Grenadines calls on all warring parties to de-escalate tensions, commit to a ceasefire and engage in inter-Libyan dialogue in order to resolve the conflict peacefully. The ceasefire is pivotal to ensuring unhindered humanitarian access to help combat the coronavirus pandemic and to restore stability by providing a space for dialogue and negotiation, including advancing the United Nations three-point initiative and the work of the United Nations Support Mission in Libya (UNSMIL). We take solace in knowing that the Libyans support this initiative and strongly urge the warring parties to refrain from actions that may jeopardize those efforts. We also look forward to the appointment of a Special Representative of the Secretary- General for Libya. My delegation reiterates its support for the conclusions of the Berlin Conference on Libya and welcomes the progress made by its international follow-up committee. We call for strict adherence to international law, in general, and respect for the arms embargo, in particular, and urge all external actors to assist in that regard. We deplore the violence against groups in vulnerable situations, including migrants, refugees, internally displaced persons and women and girls. We call on the authorities to ensure their protection and safety, carry out the necessary investigations and hold the perpetrators of violence accountable. Finally, we stand in solidarity with the people of Libya and reaffirm our support for UNSMIL and the efforts being undertaken by the African Union, the League of Arab States and all other actors that seeks to bring a peaceful political solution to the conflict. To that end, we look forward to the convening of an African Union-led inter-Libyan reconciliation conference. In closing, I echo the acting Special Representative’s plea — we must not let Libya slip away.S/2020/421

Allow me to thank Ms. Stephanie Williams, Acting Special Representative of the Secretary-General and Head of the United Nations Support Mission in Libya (UNSMIL), for her detailed briefing on the latest political, security and economic developments in Libya for the period under review. I also thank Ambassador Juergen Schulz, Chair of the Committee established pursuant to resolution 1970 (2011) concerning Libya, for his briefing on the Committee’s work. South Africa remains deeply concerned about the prevailing security situation in Libya, the increasingly challenging humanitarian circumstances in the country and the ongoing fighting, in spite of efforts towards a ceasefire and the calls for a humanitarian pause due to the threat of coronavirus disease (COVID-19). It is regrettable that parties in Libya failed to heed the Secretary-General’s call for a humanitarian pause to allow local authorities to respond to the COVID-19 pandemic, especially during Ramadan. Allow me to focus on three issues. First, my delegation reiterates that there can be no military solution to the conflict in Libya. All Libyan parties, community leaders and non-governmental organizations should commit to a cessation of hostilities and political dialogue, and avoid ongoing military confrontation. Further, we reiterate the concern voiced by the Contact Group of the Ad Hoc High-level Committee on Libya of the African Union (AU) about the political deadlock and the fighting that continues unabated in Libya. All mediation efforts must be aimed at a Libyan-led and -owned process, with the support of the United Nations and the international community. It is concerning that arms continue to flow into Libya despite the various resolutions adopted by the Council with respect to the arms embargo. Furthermore, South Africa remains concerned about foreign involvement, which perpetuates the conflict, threatens the country’s sovereignty and undermines its efforts to establish State authority throughout its territory. Most concerning, however, is the blatant disregard of the Council’s authority in the shoddy enforcement of the arms embargo despite commitments made in Berlin early this year. Notwithstanding, South Africa stands ready to support any initiative aimed at strengthening the monitoring of the arms embargo, provided it complies with and falls within the necessary Council measures related to the arms embargo, in accordance with resolutions 2473 (2019), 2509 (2020) and 2510 (2020). Secondly, the Secretary-General has repeatedly emphasized, including in previous reports, that Libya cannot be considered a safe place for the disembarkation of refugees and migrants rescued at sea under international law. Nevertheless, refugees and migrants continue to be disembarked in Libya, mainly after being intercepted by the Libyan Coast Guard. Disembarkation in Libya remains dangerous. South Africa remains concerned about the persistent violation of human rights, as cited in the Secretary-General’s latest report (S/2020/360). As such, we remind Libyan political actors of their obligations under international human rights and humanitarian law. Thirdly, South Africa welcomes the cooperation between the United Nations, the AU, the League of Arab States and the European Union in finding a lasting solution to the Libyan crisis. We reiterate the 19 May communiqué of the AU Contact Group on Libya, which stresses the need for strong cooperation with neighbouring S/2020/421 countries. My delegation looks forward to close cooperation among all Council members in ensuring the success of the AU’s upcoming inter-Libyan reconciliation conference, to be held in July. We would like to thank UNSMIL, under the leadership of former Special Representative Salamé and Acting Special Representative Williams, for its continued efforts to assist Libya in reaching a political settlement and in putting measures in place to fight the COVID-19 pandemic. In conclusion, the Council’s endorsement of the Secretary-General’s call for a global ceasefire and the lifting of its economic sanctions will lend him political support in his efforts to promote peace during the COVID-19 pandemic. That will also go a long way towards enhancing the Council’s credibility in this regard.

At the outset, I thank Ms. Stephanie Williams for her briefing and active engagement in these difficult circumstances. I would also like to reiterate Tunisia’s full support of the mandate of United Nations Support Mission in Libya (UNSMIL) and our continuing collaboration with the Mission’s office in Tunis. I also thank Ambassador Juergen Schulz for his briefing and commend Germany’s efforts as Chair of the Security Council Committee established pursuant to resolution 1970 (2011) concerning Libya. Tunisia is deeply concerned about the continuing escalation of violence in Libya, especially the intensification of indiscriminate attacks on civilians, including medical personnel and health facilities. These make it all the more difficult to fight the spread of the coronavirus pandemic and put the Libyan people at high risk. We recall the obligations of the warring parties under international humanitarian law and call on them to ensure unhindered access of humanitarian aid throughout the country. There is no military solution in Libya. The last nine years of conflict and its devastating impact on all aspects of daily life of Libyans have proven that. Tunisia appeals to all stakeholders to immediately commit to the humanitarian truce and terminate all military operations in order to enable a lasting ceasefire and create conditions conducive to the resumption of the political process and national reconciliation. Accordingly, while calling on all parties to consider the outcome of the 5+5 Joint Military Commission talks in February 2020 in a positive light, we urge the international community to use all its influence to encourage the Libyan parties to ease tensions and achieve an immediate, durable and fully respected ceasefire, with a view to preventing any further deterioration of the situation and the targeting of civilians. In this regard, we note with appreciation UNSMIL’s continued engagement with all Libyan representatives on the three tracks, with a view to resuming meetings as soon as possible. We also emphasize the important role the international follow-up committee on Libya plays in advancing the implementation of the conclusions of the Berlin Conference. Tunisia is deeply concerned with the continuing violations of the Security Council-imposed arms embargo on Libya. It is obviously known that as arms continue to flow into the country, violence and military escalation will persist and expand, and the conflict will be exacerbated and amplified to the detriment of the political track and further impair peace and security not only in Libya but in the region as a whole. We therefore firmly insist on the necessity of abiding by the arms embargo and refraining from any interference in the armed conflict or the internal affairs of Libya. We also express grave concern over the growing involvement of foreign fighters in Libya and stress the urgency of addressing the related threats and challenges as well as the danger posed by the terrorist groups taking advantage of the situation. It is high time to reverse the current trends. All our efforts should converge towards relaunching an inclusive Libyan-led and Libyan-owned political process, fostering dialogue and promoting a genuine intra-Libyan reconciliation. There is no alternative to such an approach if security and stability is to be restored in Libya and if an end is to be put to the suffering of the Libyan people.Before concluding, my delegation would like to reaffirm Tunisia’s strong commitment to the sovereignty, independence, territorial integrity and national unity of Libya. We also reiterate our support for the peaceful settlement of the Libyan crisis in accordance with international legality and in full respect of the will of the Libyan people, underlining the importance of the continued inclusiveness of the Libyan political agreement. Finally, Tunisia reaffirms its strong support for the leadership of the Secretary- General and highly values the role that UNSMIL and all United Nations agencies and humanitarian partners in Libya are playing. We also recall the important role of the neighbouring countries and regional organizations, notably the League of Arab States, the African Union and the European Union, in advancing peace in Libya. The fighting in Libya must stop. That is a legitimate aspiration of the brotherly Libyan people. The Security Council has a key role to play in helping the Libyan people turn the gloomy page, and the international community has a moral obligation to act resolutely in support of bringing peace and stability back to the country.

I thank Acting Special Representative of the Secretary-General Stephanie Williams for her briefing. We hope that we will be able to agree on a permanent successor for her before too long. Through Ms. Williams, I would now like to thank her staff and all who are working so hard to try to end the conflict in Libya, in what are not always the most promising of circumstances or contexts. Let me start by sharing the deep concern Ms. William’s expressed about the significant escalation in hostilities in Libya. I think she described an unprecedented increase in direct fire in civilian areas, which is extremely worrying. The cost in civilian lives and the damage to civilian infrastructure is totally unacceptable. Attacks in civilian areas, particularly on health-care facilities, show a complete disregard for international law, and they must cease. At a time when countries around the world are coming together in the face of a shared threat from coronavirus disease (COVID-19), it is unconscionable that health-care facilities are among the civilian infrastructure targeted. I also wish to reiterate our continuing concern with respect to the deteriorating human rights and humanitarian situation in Libya. Ms. Williams highlighted a situation in which a million people are now in need of humanitarian assistance. The report of the Secretary-General (S/2020/360) makes clear that the situation — including the death, injury and displacement of significant numbers of civilians — is not acceptable, and that civilians, including migrants and refugees, remain at risk. The intentional cutting of electricity, fuel, water or food supplies is a potential violation of international humanitarian law. We remain particularly concerned by further reports that external parties continue to provide materiel, equipment and mercenaries. All Member States must abide by their international obligations, including Security Council resolutions. In this regard, we note further reports of activity by the Wagner Group in Libya. Wagner Group activities continue to exacerbate the conflict and prolong the suffering of the Libyan people. I want to urge all Security Council members to abide by the resolutions of the Security Council, for which they themselves have voted. We condemn the blockade of oil facilities, which is harming the Libyan people and has led today to a loss of over $4 billion. Efforts to illicitly import aviation fuel into Libya are also unacceptable, and all parties must uphold the integrity and unity of the National Oil Corporation. There will not be a military victory, not least because the foreign actors involved in this war will not permit it. Therefore, an inclusive political solution, as set out at the Berlin Conference, offers the best hope for the stability and future prosperity that the Libyan people need and deserve. We call on the Libyan National Army to engage substantively with the United Nations-drafted ceasefire document of 23 February, as the Government of National Accord has recently done. The United Kingdom reaffirms its support for Libya’s legitimate and internationally recognized institutions, as agreed in the 2015 Libyan Political Agreement and recognized by the Security Council. The United Kingdom is consistent in its belief that if the warring parties and their backers had the interests of the Libyan people at heart, they would cease fighting, halt attacks on civilians, and stop private or unilateral initiatives, and S/2020/421 instead get behind the United Nations and the inclusive political solution. It is the only hope, and it is what the Libyan people need and deserve after all these years of conflict. Let me just ask one question, if I may, of Ms. Williams. I wonder if she could say whether there has been any change since the COVID-19 outbreak in the public mood, specifically in terms of public support for or in public attitudes towards the conflict, and whether there are any signs that the calculations of any of the parties to the conflict are being affected by that public view.

It has been great to see Acting Special Representative of the Secretary-General Stephanie Williams this past week and even better to be able to converse with her. I thank her for her time and for the updates that she provided the Security Council today, and we wish her and the United Nations Support Mission in Libya (UNSMIL) team the best of luck on the ground in the country. To begin, I want to be clear about the following points today. All actors involved in the conflict in Libya must immediately suspend military operations. They must halt the ongoing transfer of foreign military equipment and personnel to Libya, including, as the representative of the United Kingdom mentioned, Wagner Group mercenaries. They must allow local health authorities to respond to the alarming health challenges posed by the coronavirus disease. Additionally, the Security Council must help Libya quickly find a political path to stability, facilitated by UNSMIL. The United States opposes the now more-than-year-long military offensive against Tripoli by the Libyan National Army (LNA), and we strongly reject any unilateral moves to change Libya’s governing structures. There is only one legitimate path for Libyan leaders, and that is full buy-in to the United Nations-facilitated three-track process, which encompasses political, security and economic reforms. Any attempt to short-circuit this route would not only disregard existing Security Council resolutions, but it would also short-change the Libyan people. Libya’s future governance must be determined through a representative political process and, ultimately, Libyan-led and Libyan-owned elections. The United States endorses the obligation on all Member States to comply with the United Nations-Libya arms embargo, as well as the ban on illicit oil exports and petroleum products. We are supportive of the European Union Naval Force Mediterranean Operation IRINI, which is aimed at enforcing the arms embargo in accordance with resolution 2292 (2016), including through the use of aerial, satellite and maritime assets. We urge Member States to share information with the Panel of Experts operating under the auspices of the Committee established pursuant to resolution 1970 (2011) related to potential arms embargo violations. Finally, let me reiterate our strong support for the United Nations-facilitated dialogue to achieve a comprehensive political settlement for Libya. We urge both the Government of National Accord and the LNA representatives to return to ceasefire talks as agreed upon in Geneva earlier this year. Acting Special Representative Williams and UNSMIL have our full support in carrying this urgent work forward.

I would like to thank Ms. Stephanie Williams, Acting Special Representative of the Secretary-General for Libya, and Ambassador Juergen Schulz, Chair of the Committee established pursuant to resolution 1970 (2011) concerning Libya, for their briefings. I would also like to commend the efforts of Ms. Williams and reiterate our full support for the work of the United Nations Support Mission in Libya (UNSMIL). I am pleased to welcome Permanent Representative of Libya, Ambassador Taher Elsonni, to this meeting. Viet Nam is following the situation in Libya with great concern. Despite the truces agreed between the Libyan parties in January and March this year, violence in Libya has continued to escalate. We are deeply troubled at the ongoing attacks on civilians and civilian objects during the month of Ramadan, especially the targeted attacks on schools, airports and health-care facilities mentioned in the Secretary- General’s report (S/2020/360). Continued violence also obstructs collective efforts aimed at addressing the global threat of coronavirus disease (COVID-19). We also remain concerned about the growing presence of terrorist groups in Libya, particularly the Islamic State in Iraq and the Levant. We reaffirm our consistent position that a peaceful political solution is the only option for resolving the conflict in Libya, which has lasted for nearly 10 years. In this regard, it is vital for the international community to continue to support an inclusive Libyan-led and Libyan-owned peace process, on the basis of respect for Libya’s independence and sovereignty and in line with the three tracks — political, military and economic — set out in resolution 2510 (2020). It is also important to ensure the timely appointment of a Special Representative of the Secretary-General for Libya. Accordingly, Viet Nam wishes to highlight the following issues. First, we once again urge the relevant parties in Libya to immediately stop the ongoing hostilities, uphold their commitment to the truce, fully respect international humanitarian law, stop targeting civilians and civilian objects, and allow unhindered humanitarian access in order to effectively address the COVID-19 pandemic. Secondly, Viet Nam urges the relevant parties in Libya to return to peace talks under the three tracks as soon as possible, so as to respond to the draft ceasefire agreement proposed by UNSMIL in February 2020. At the same time, we call on relevant Member States to use all their influence to bring the Libyan parties back to peace negotiations. We must not let the momentum of the Berlin Conference on Libya be squandered. Thirdly, the role of the United Nations, UNSMIL, regional organizations and Libya’s neighbours will continue to be crucial in promoting peace in the country. Further cooperation and synergy among these actors will create an environment conducive to the success of the peace process in Libya. We are pleased that the second meeting of the international follow-up committee on Libya took place remotely in April. We welcome the intention of the African Union (AU) to hold an intra-Libyan reconciliation conference. We would also like to commend UNSMIL and the AU for promoting the role of women in the peace process in Libya. Fourthly, on the issue of sanctions, we reiterate the importance of upholding the relevant resolutions of the Security Council on Libya, especially those related to the arms embargo. We urge all parties inside and outside of the country to strengthen their commitment to and actions towards implementing the arms embargo in accordance S/2020/421 S/2020/421 with relevant resolutions of the Council. At the same time, we reiterate our position that sanctions measures must be correctly and properly targeted at individuals and entities that threaten peace and security in Libya and that they should not negatively affect the livelihood of the common people of the country. In conclusion, Viet Nam would like to reaffirm our strong support for the pursuit of peace, stability, development and national unity in Libya.

First of all, I wish to thank Ambassador Juergen Schulz for briefing us today on the work of the Committee established pursuant to resolution 1970 (2011) concerning Libya. I would also like to thank Ms. Stephanie Williams for her briefing on the latest developments in my country. For over a year now, the situation in my country has not changed. Violations and aggression have continued, including the systematic indiscriminate shelling of Tripoli and its outskirts, causing the deaths of dozens of civilians and the destruction of infrastructure, in order to terrorize and frighten people. As we gather today to listen to briefings and reports, everyone must be wondering what is new in and what is next. If we refer back to the prior reports of the United Nations and other international entities and the records of the meetings of this organ, we find them almost repetitive; the only thing that changes in them is the increase in the number of victims and the diversity and monstrous nature the violations. The common denominator among these reports and records is the words of condemnation and outrage, and the calls addressed equally to all parties to stop the fighting, without ever identifying the responsible party who has led, carried out and instigated all those actions, and who bragged about them before everyone’s eyes and in the presence of the Secretary-General during his visit to Tripoli last year. In my statement, I will naturally — and as usual — enumerate the latest crimes committed by the war criminal himself, as well as his terrorist militias and mercenaries, even though we know that the Security Council already has all the facts and is well aware of what is happening, who is committing these crimes, who is supporting them, who sparked this crisis, who is responsible for the bloodshed and who has plunged the country and the region into a mess that has affected everyone. In that regard, I recall some of the resolutions adopted by this very Council, of which there have been 16 since the signing of the Libyan Political Agreement in 2015, all on punishing and holding spoilers accountable. If those resolutions had been implemented by the Council, we would have avoided the current situation today. The eleventh preambular paragraph of resolution 2278 (2016) reads in part: “Reaffirming the importance of holding accountable those responsible for violations or abuses of human rights or violations of international humanitarian law, including those involved in attacks targeting civilians.” The twelfth preambular paragraph of resolution 2376 (2017) states: “Reaffirming the need for all parties in Libya to engage constructively with the United Nations and refrain from any actions that could undermine UN-mediated political dialogue and reiterating that there can be no military solution in Libya.” The sixteenth preambular paragraph of resolution 2486 (2019) reads: “Reaffirming that all parties must comply with their obligations under international humanitarian law and international human rights law, as applicable, and emphasizing that those responsible for violations of international humanitarian law and violations and abuses of human rights must be held accountable.” S/2020/421 Two weeks ago, the Prosecutor of the International Criminal Court, Ms. Bensouda, presented her nineteenth report (see S/2020/371), and I am confident that all Council members have now seen or heard evidence of the violations taking place in my country. On this occasion, we extend our thanks to Ms. Bensouda for her clarity and for clearly identifying the perpetrator of those war crimes by name. However, we are still waiting for the Council and the international community to show similar courage and to put an end to the series of politicized statements that the war criminal and the States that support him have used to continue committing crimes and violations and creating chaos. As a reminder to the Council, after announcing a false humanitarian truce, the aggressor deliberately launched hundreds of rockets against Tripoli, targeting the central hospital. Prior to that, he bombed Al-Hadaba hospital, dedicated to treating coronavirus disease patients, in addition to attacking civilian neighbourhoods in Souq Al-Jum’a, Abu Salim and Bab Ben Ghashir. His forces also bombed areas near diplomatic missions in the Zawiyat Al-Dahmani neighbourhood on 7 May. The aggressor’s violations did not stop there. He also bombed a shelter for internally displaced persons in the Farnaj area last Saturday, killing seven civilians and injuring dozens, as if it were not enough to have already forced the victims to abandon their homes. Further numerous terrorist acts have caused more killing, displacement and destruction. Despite all that, as I keep repeating, we still hear statements about an anonymous perpetrator. It no longer makes sense to remain silent about countries that support those violations and terrorism. Everyone has read the recent reports of the Panel of Experts established pursuant to resolution 1973 (2011) and has seen first-hand the type of weapons and mercenaries being used by the militias committing the aggression. The best example of this are the regular flights by Emirati freight planes and aircraft operated by Syria’s Cham Wings Airlines, not to mention the recruitment of thousands of mercenaries of various nationalities, including from Chad, the Sudan and Syria, affiliated with the Russian Wagner Group. Those are not only our words; this is being reported in United Nations documents. Regarding weapons, for example, Council members witnessed the successful liberation of cities on the west coast by the heroic soldiers of our Libyan National Army, such as the liberation yesterday of Al-Watiya airbase. In the process, we captured a number of Russian-made Pantsir-S1 air defence systems, destroyed a number of Emirati Tygra or Panthera armoured vehicles and found tons of high-tech ammunition and weapons. Before that, we shot down several Wing Loong II drones, made in China. In that connection, we wish to inform the Council that we have damning evidence, supported by previous reports — which we are sharing with the Panel of Experts — of the repeated involvement of the United Arab Emirates in the transfer of those specific weapons to the war criminal and his subversive militias. Accordingly, today we officially call, via the penholder on Libya, for the urgent convening of a Council meeting with a view to taking steps to end the systematic illegal interventions of the United Arab Emirates in an attempt to overturn the legitimate Government of Libya, in violation of all relevant United Nations resolutions. We also call on the countries concerned, especially those of the manufacture or origin of the weapons, to provide us and the sanctions committee with documents certifying the end-users and to explain how the weapons fell into the hands of those who subvert legitimacy and violate Security Council resolutions. In addition, we request all countries whose nationals are involved as mercenaries to take immediate action to pull them out of Libya and to hold all those involved in their recruitment accountable, rather than simply claiming that they are not responsible.Talking about developments in Libya leads me to resolution 2292 (2016), on granting authorizations to Member States and international or regional organizations to carry out ship inspections as part of the implementation of the arms embargo. Here we would like to put the following facts in the record. Resolution 2292 (2016) stipulates that implementation should be done in coordination with the Libyan Government, a message that is reiterated in paragraph 11 of the recent report of the Secretary-General on the implementation of resolution 2473 (2019) (S/2020/393). Therefore, any international operation carried out without proper coordination with the Libyan Government is considered illegal and not founded on relevant Security Council resolutions. For that reason, we have announced our rejection of the European Union Naval Force Mediterranean Operation IRINI in its current form because we were only being notified of a fait accompli rather than being consulted and properly engaged, as we were under Operation SOPHIA. Operation IRINI is insufficient to implement resolutions banning the provision of arms to illegal entities. The operation is not comprehensive and excludes the land and air borders of eastern Libya, which is the main hub of support for the aggressor militias that operate outside the law. When the arms embargo was put in place, it was supposed to be in my country’s interest and applied to individuals or groups attempting to smuggle weapons. But what is the logic in imposing such an embargo on a sovereign legitimate Government that has supposedly been backed by the Council from day one? In the same context, we categorically reject the statements made a few days ago by some countries directly involved in supporting the aggressor and in the killing of Libyans, casting doubt on the legitimacy and legality of our sovereign agreements and alliances, which constitutes blatant interference in our internal affairs. We therefore condemn and reject those statements. Moreover, if those countries do not recognize the legitimacy of our agreements, they should review the ongoing agreements we have reached with them, as we might reconsider their feasibility. Our advice to those countries is to find satisfactory answers for their people when they ask why their country’s name is listed in reports of the United Nations sanctions committee and why their country is spending billions to support militias and mercenaries and provide them with weapons to kill and displace thousands of Libyans. Without a doubt, my country welcomes and appreciates all sincere initiatives and efforts aimed at ending the ongoing conflict and all attempts, such as those made in Moscow, Berlin and elsewhere, to reach the humanitarian ceasefire that we have always sought. We all agree that preventing bloodshed and sitting down for dialogue is the only way out of this crisis. However, this is true only of those who seek a peaceful solution, understand the meaning of democracy and aspire to a civil State, and not of someone who has sent our youth to perish, turned his back on everyone and appointed himself ultimate ruler and tyrant of the country, ignoring the will of the people and their right to self-determination. Therefore, we reiterate our categorical refusal to sit down with those whose hands are stained with the blood of the innocent. The Council should know that no political solution should be reduced to a single person or group and that eastern Libya and its people are part of the core of our nation and are much bigger than this dictator who represents only himself. The east has been hijacked and is living in fear. Council members are witness to the number of violations committed there, and the arrests, torture, forced disappearances and extrajudicial killings committed by his criminal takfiri militias under the slogan of “national army, safety and security”. Finally, the Council has witnessed the victories of our Libyan National Army and military forces as they have liberated most of the aggressor’s strongholds, revealed the truth and laid bare the weakness of the militias, which have started S/2020/421 to demonstrate their defeat under the guise of tactical withdrawals, despite all the support they have been receiving for years. As much as we appreciate the change of position on the part of a number of States that have finally sided with the truth now that it has become clear, we no longer pay much attention to empty statements or words of condemnation. We assure the Council that our efforts to defeat the aggressor will continue with all our might, by all means and with the alliances we see fit in order to extend the State’s authority throughout the country. It should now be clear to all that the war criminal’s project has come to an end and now belongs to the past and that those who have been betting on him have lost their wager. He is the one who pulled out of dialogue and peaceful solutions. That is why we call on all those who have been involved with him to put down their weapons and surrender and to side with our nation so that we can end the cycle of conflict, sit down for a dialogue and reconciliation and discuss the post-Haftar days. To that end, we would like the United Nations, in coordination with the African Union, to play a more effective role in the coming period and to adopt new methods to deal with the Libyan issue and learn from the mistakes of the past. Through that new role, those obstructing peace will be held accountable in order to deter their authoritarian tendencies, the free will of the people will be ensured and solutions will not be dictated so that we can work towards a united civil State free from any intervention and inclusive of all.