S/PV.10029 Security Council

The Security Council will now begin its consideration of the item on its agenda. I wish to draw the attention of Council members to document S/2025/611, which contains the report of the Secretary-General on the strategic review of the United Nations Support Mission in Libya. Members of the Council have before them document S/2025/691, which contains the text of a draft resolution submitted by the United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland. The Council is ready to proceed to the vote on the draft resolution before it. I shall put the draft resolution to the vote now.

The draft resolution received 15 votes in favour. The draft resolution has been adopted unanimously as resolution 2796 (2025). I now give the floor to those members of the Council who wish to make statements after the voting.

I welcome the adoption of this resolution renewing the mandate of the United Nations Support Mission in Libya (UNSMIL) for 12 months (resolution 2796 (2025)). I thank all Council members for engaging in a constructive and flexible manner throughout the negotiations. This mandate plays an important role in supporting the Libyan people to achieve the peace, stability and democratic governance they deserve. It does this through reinforcing UNSMIL’s role in supporting a Libyan-led and Libyan-owned political process. It welcomes the road map announced by Special Representative of the Secretary-General Tetteh in August and its three core pillars, which provide a clear framework for political progress. It encourages UNSMIL to implement the recommendations of the strategic review, which offered valuable guidance for enhancing the Mission’s effectiveness. It also underscores the importance of adherence to international humanitarian and human rights law, principles that are vital to building lasting peace and preserving the integrity of the political process. The United Kingdom reiterates its full support for UNSMIL’s efforts to advance the political process. The ongoing political deadlock threatens Libya’s stability and continues to deny Libyans the democratic choice, economic opportunity and security they deserve. We urge all parties to engage seriously and constructively with the United Nations road map, towards delivering free, fair, transparent and inclusive elections.

I have the honour to deliver this explanation of vote on behalf of Guyana, Sierra Leone, Somalia and my own country, Algeria (A3+). Libya stands at a crossroads in its modern history, a moment that requires the full attention of the international community. The A3+ underscores the need for any political road map facilitated by UNSMIL to be firmly anchored in Libyan ownership and leadership and to offer a pathway to ending the protracted transitional phase through free, fair and transparent national elections. By doing so, we can lay the foundation for unified institutions that genuinely reflect the will of the Libyan people. We therefore support the call for UNSMIL to implement the recommendations of the strategic review, in close coordination with the Government of National Unity. This includes maintaining the support for a political solution at the core of the Mission’s mandate, streamlining UNSMIL’s workstreams to advance Libya’s political process and creating a dedicated economic section within UNSMIL. In this context, we wish to underscore the importance of adequately equipping UNSMIL, both in terms of financial and human resources, to fully deliver on its mandate. UNSMIL continues to face tremendous challenges in its efforts to stabilize Libya, especially in the face of increasing external interference. The A3+ is appalled by the unprecedented flow of weapons into Libya by both sea and air. It is a reality that has been documented time and again, yet one for which the Council has failed to ensure accountability. Such persistent inaction not only emboldens violators, but also gravely undermines the credibility, authority and moral standing of our Council. The A3+ also reiterates its call for the immediate withdrawal of all foreign forces, foreign fighters and mercenaries from Libyan territory. Libya’s sovereignty, independence and territorial integrity must be respected. On another matter, the A3+ remains seized of the continued erosion of Libya’s frozen assets, resulting from mismanagement by certain financial institutions. We also deplore the non-implementation of paragraph 14 of resolution 2769 (2025), which authorized the reinvestment of frozen cash assets by the Libyan Investment Authority. We therefore demand the issuance, without further delay, of an Implementation Assistance Notice, to be disseminated to all relevant financial institutions. The world is watching us, and the people of Libya await our resolve. The Council must rise above empty diplomatic words and bring forth concrete results capable of ending the relentless cycle of transitions in Libya. We cannot falter. Failure is a burden that we cannot bear, and history will judge us. It is our solemn duty to uphold our collective historic responsibility to the Libyan people by confronting the echoes of past errors and forging a path towards lasting stability and justice in Libya.

The United States recognizes the work of the United Nations Support Mission in Libya (UNSMIL) and Special Representative of the Secretary-General Tetteh’s political road map. Our goal remains to see a single, unified Government fully able to assert Libya’s sovereignty, take responsibility for its own security and enable mutually beneficial commercial opportunities. To advance this goal, we expect the United Nations to follow the strategic review recommendations and focus existing resources on UNSMIL’s core political mission, establish performance benchmarks and increase efficiency in its operations. While we voted today to adopt the resolution (resolution 2796 (2025)), I want to express the United States’ continued frustration with efforts to push distracting and divisive language, including on gender and sustainable development. The United States rejects and denounces the 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development and the Sustainable Development Goals and will no longer reaffirm them as a matter of The United Nations has become a forum for the propagation of these divisive ideologies that stir controversy rather than bring Member States together to address issues of common concern. This is why we continue to stress the need for the United Nations to return to the purposes and principles of the Charter of the United Nations and focus on peace.

France welcomes the renewal of the mandate of the United Nations Support Mission in Libya (UNSMIL) for one year. We thank the United Kingdom as penholder for leading an inclusive negotiation process that made it possible to achieve a balanced text. This resolution (resolution 2796 (2025)) usefully draws conclusions from the strategic review requested by the Council last year. In particular, it refocuses UNSMIL’s mandate on revitalizing the political process. The resolution that we unanimously adopted reiterates the Council’s support for the work of the Special Representative of the Secretary-General to relaunch the political process in Libya. Through this resolution, the Council supports the road map announced by the Special Representative on 21 August and its three core pillars. The resolution calls upon all Libyan stakeholders to implement this road map in order to lead the country towards elections and the reunification of all institutions. A solution is taking shape that can enable Libya to regain its stability, unity and sovereignty. It requires the full support of the international community.

China welcomes the unanimous adoption of resolution 2796 (2025) and thanks the penholder for the efforts to this end. In the face of Libya’s political stalemate, the United Nations Support Mission in Libya (UNSMIL) plays an indispensable role in helping to restore peace and stability in Libya. China supports the Security Council’s renewal of UNSMIL’s mandate and looks forward to Special Representative of the Secretary-General Tetteh’s continued leadership of the Mission in its effective implementation of the mandate. Advancing the political road map is both an important task and a daunting challenge for the Mission. We hope that the Special Representative of the Secretary-General will continue to strengthen consultations with the Libyan parties, build consensus and assist the country in achieving national elections and the unification of State institutions. The overall trend in the reform of United Nations missions is to streamline mandates and advance quality, efficiency and effectiveness. China hopes that UNSMIL will seize the opportunity presented by implementing the Secretary- General’s strategic review recommendations to recalibrate its functions, streamline and consolidate its operations and focus existing resources on advancing Libya’s political process to tangibly improve operational efficiency. The nationwide expansion of its presence should be achieved, first and foremost, through reallocating existing resources and adjusting institutional setup. China reiterates that without an inclusive political process, there will be no lasting peace and that without national unity, there will be no stability or development. Libya’s political leaders should demonstrate political will, shoulder the responsibilities entrusted to them by the people and jointly commit themselves to national unity. Countries from outside the region should cease external interference and support Libya in overcoming its deadlock and divisions. As a good friend of Libya, China stands ready to continue playing a constructive role for its peace and stability. The resolution sends a strong and united message from the Security Council, primarily to the Libyan people, reaffirming its resolute commitment to the sovereignty, independence, territorial integrity and national unity of Libya. It also reflects the Council’s continued support for a Libyan-led and Libyan-owned political process as the only path towards lasting peace and stability. Greece expresses its full support for the implementation of the political road map announced by Special Representative of the Secretary-General Hanna Tetteh, aimed at creating the conditions for free, fair and credible elections that would allow the Libyan people to determine their own future. We urge all Libyan parties, as well as regional and international stakeholders, to engage constructively and to refrain from any action that could jeopardize this vital process. We reiterate our strong support for the stability, security and independence of Libya free from foreign interference and underscore the importance of dialogue, compromise and national reconciliation. Libya’s stability is also crucial for the control of illegal migration flows, an issue that remains a priority for the European Union, especially for member States with maritime borders in the Mediterranean. Greece will continue to engage constructively within the United Nations, the European Union and regional mechanisms to promote peace and security in Libya and the Mediterranean and remains committed to working closely with our fellow Security Council members on the Libya file as we move forward.

I shall now make a statement in my capacity as the representative of the Russian Federation. The Russian Federation supported resolution 2796 (2025), submitted by the United Kingdom, on the extension of the mandate of the United Nations Support Mission in Libya (UNSMIL) for another year. We are convinced that the mission continues to play a central role in shaping international mediation efforts in the country, and its continued presence on the ground is essential for further normalization of the situation. We reiterate our support for the relevant efforts of UNSMIL and its Head, Ms. Hanna Tetteh, Special Representative of the Secretary-General. We note the constructive approach taken by the penholders during the negotiations on the text. It is important to note that the document reflects the key recommendations of the independent strategic review of UNSMIL prepared by the Secretary-General, aimed at giving new impetus to its work under the current circumstances. For example, the resolution clearly outlines the need for the mission to focus its efforts on facilitating a political solution to the Libyan conflict and the need to expand its presence throughout the country, including Benghazi and Sabha. In addition, the resolution emphasizes the importance of revitalizing external support for the Libyan political process, primarily through the Berlin Process on Libya, carried out with the involvement of all members of that format. It is evident that the transitional period in Libya has dragged on for too long. The longer the current uncertainty persists, the more entangled the web of problems surrounding the country becomes. We hope that the mission’s renewed mandate will enhance its effectiveness in facilitating the intra-Libyan dialogue. I now resume my functions as President of the Council. There are no more names inscribed on the list of speakers.