S/PV.8159 Security Council

In accordance with rule 37 of the Council’s provisional rules of procedure, I invite the representative of Libya to participate in this meeting. In accordance with rule 39 of the Council’s provisional rules of procedure, I invite the following briefers to participate in this meeting: Mr. Ghassan Salamé, Special Representative of the Secretary- General and Head of the United Nations Support Mission in Libya, and Ms. Hajer Sharief, co-founder of Together We Build It. Mr. Salamé and Ms. Sharief are joining the meeting via video-teleconference from Tunis. The Security Council will now begin its consideration of the item on its agenda. At this meeting, the Security Council will hear briefings by Mr. Salamé, Ambassador Irina Schoulgin Nyoni, Deputy Permanent Representative and Chargé d’affaires of Sweden, on behalf of the Chair of the Security Council Committee established pursuant to resolution 1970 (2011) concerning Libya, and Ms. Sharief. I now give the floor to Mr. Salamé. Mr. Salamé: I would like to congratulate Kazakhstan on its assumption of the presidency of the Security Council for this month. I also wish to thank you, Mr. President, for this opportunity to brief the Council on the work of the United Nations to address the crisis in Libya. I wish to report that the United Nations is poised to increase its presence in Libya. Our compound has been prepared and protection arrangements made so that we can increase the number of staff who are staying and working in the capital — as security permits, of course. At the same time, we are expanding our presence across the country and visiting communities throughout Libya. In the coming weeks and months, we will continue to reach out to more cities and towns. It is only by truly understanding the country that we can succeed in the implementation of the action plan for Libya and help its citizens put an end to a transition that is taking too long. The second anniversary of the Libyan Political Agreement was on 17 December 2017. Despite very differing views about what the anniversary might entail, Libyans ultimately chose for the day to pass without violence or significant protest. The fact that the anniversary proceeded peacefully is in no small part due to the unity of the Council. The presidential statement of 14 December (S/PRST/2017/26) sent a clear message: the international community stands behind the Agreement and will not accept attempts to undermine it. That was reiterated by three neighbouring countries, whose Ministers for Foreign Affairs met in Tunis on 17 December 2017. Whether it be the adoption of electoral legislation or appointments to sovereign positions, such as Governor of the Central Bank of Libya, all actions need to proceed in line with the Agreement for its duration. In practice, that means harmony between the House of Representatives and the High State Council. We must remain alert. Although 17 December is behind us, the spectre of violence remains present. Military forces are flexing their muscles in many parts of the country. Close to the border with Tunisia, clashes have occurred between forces affiliated with two rival communities. The area in the eastern vicinity of Tripoli remains a worrying flashpoint. Tension has also heightened around the city of Derna. The very reason that I am not briefing the Council from Tripoli, as I had planned to do, but from Tunis, is because bloody clashes at the airport have halted all flights in and out of Mitiga airport for the whole week. Civilians — men and women and children — continue to be killed or injured in crossfire. Armed groups fight recklessly in residential areas with no thought for the safety of civilians. The arms embargo has never been more important. It is for this reason that recent reports of a large shipment of explosives intercepted by the Greek Coast Guard are particularly alarming. A country with 20 million pieces of arms does not need a single piece more. I have received the Panel of Experts today, and its members are looking into this matter with the professionalism for which they are known. The efforts of the United Nations Support Mission in Libya (UNSMIL) have been pivotal to the relative quiet that Libya has enjoyed over recent months. These extremely time-consuming conflict-prevention efforts must continue if hope in the political process is to be maintained. This fragile and shaky status quo is not sustainable. Libya needs a competent and efficient Government, one that can deliver the public services that the people desperately need, one that is able to unify their country’s institutions, one that will preside over the elections that will end this transition. In our view, amending the Libyan Political Agreement is the most appropriate means for fulfilling that endeavour, and we have not wasted a single day in our push for it. I am encouraged by the efforts of members of the House of Representatives and of the High State Council to achieve this goal and by several initiatives generated to reach the consensus needed for that end. The work of the joint drafting committee has crystallized consensus on the adjustments to the executive authority. Although a formal agreement has yet to be reached, this consensus is desirable and it is reachable. In line with the action plan, three goals are the ultimate focus of our work. First, with regard to the Constitution, Libya requires a strong, permanent legal framework. The transition cannot definitively end until Libya stands upon a true Constitution. The draft Constitution as provided by the Constitutional Drafting Assembly is currently undergoing judicial review. Out of respect for the Libyan judiciary, we await the decision of the courts. I expect this will be concluded very soon — in fact, in the next 10 days. Once a decision is reached, we will determine how we can best support the process. Secondly, with respect to national rebuilding, the fabric of Libyan society is frayed and requires meaningful reconstitution if it is to be mended. Unless a national polity is rebuilt, no meaningful progress can be made in unifying institutions, preventing outbreaks of violence or achieving widespread acceptance of election results. Rebuilding a Libyan national polity necessitates two parallel efforts. First, the United Nations has successfully facilitated numerous dialogues between local communities formerly in conflict. Agreements have been adopted and meaningful steps to address the past have been taken. Communities once at odds have shown their willingness to build a common future. The Government of National Accord has recently started to play its part in this effort, which has been demonstrated by its support for the Misrata-Tawergha Agreement and its provisional funding. On this matter, we will also do our part in particular to guarantee a safe return to that area. Our other national rebuilding track consists of reaching out to the major players and groups previously marginalized. They are gradually being brought into the political fold as equal and accepted partners as long as they commit to the political process. Through town halls, shuttle visits and whatever other tools we have at our disposal, we are intensely working on tearing down the walls among Libyan political factions and untangling past local and political animosities, thus moving towards the national conference, which will provide a space for Libyans from all quarters to come together and adopt a common vision for Libya. The third focus of our work is elections. On 6 December 2017, the High National Electoral Commission launched a voter-registration update. I am pleased by the remarkable eagerness that Libyan men and women have shown in registering. Our expectations for participation have been exceeded. Some 600,000 Libyans have newly registered to vote in just over six weeks. The number of people on the electoral register now exceeds 2 million and continues to rise. The United Nations has been able to provide the Commission with extensive technical support for voter registration and will continue to assess the arrangements for the next steps. However, before credible elections can be conducted much work remains to be done. A constitutional framework must be agreed upon. The security conditions must be conducive to making the process free and fair. There must be confidence that the results will be accepted by all. For either the referendum, presidential or parliamentary elections, laws are also needed. Libya’s relevant institutions have an obligation to produce the requisite legislation and to do so in a manner consistent with the Libyan Political Agreement. I urge these institutions to avoid mutual suspicion and unilateral action and to put the interests of the Libyan people above all other considerations. I thank the Ministers for Foreign Affairs of Algeria, Egypt and Tunisia for taking the time to meet with me and for their strong backing of the action plan for Libya. I also express my gratitude to the Kingdom of Morocco for receiving me and for its continued support for our work in Libya. It was an honour to meet with the Secretary General of the League of Arab States, whose support has been highly valued. This month, I also travelled to two of Libya’s southern neighbours, where I had the privilege to meet with President Mahamadou Issoufou in the Niger and President Idriss Deby Itno in Chad, two countries substantially affected by the evolution of the Libyan scene. I have greatly benefited from their wisdom. Of utmost importance for UNSMIL is our relationship was the African Union (AU). This week I returned from Addis Ababa where I met with the AU Commission to discuss deepening our cooperation and the AU’s support for Libya. Twice this month I had the honour to meet and have an exchange with AU Commission Chairperson Moussa Faki Mahamat, and we shared common views on the way forward. The political crisis in Libya has been accompanied by a humanitarian crisis of equal dimensions. Only a strong, effective Government can turn the tide and put an end to the suffering, but those suffering cannot wait. To address the most urgent needs, the United Nations will launch a humanitarian response plan next week. The plan will target those in especially vulnerable situations, focusing on such life-saving interventions as basic services, shelter, food and demining. The Stabilization Facility for Libya is another important tool to help communities. These concrete actions are now widely recognized by the Libyan people. I thank the donors who have contributed to either of these two funds, and I urge the Government of National Accord to do its part as well. A matter of great humanitarian concern is the dire situation many migrants in Libya continue to face. I saw some of this situation first hand last month when I visited a detention centre in Gheryan. Further, we have evidence that many migrants are subject to grave abuses inside and outside official places of detention, including various forms of sexual violence. We keep pressing the authorities to eradicate these egregious crimes and bring those responsible to justice and, in view of several serious incidents against humanitarian actors in the conduct of their duties, I urge the Government to ensure their safety. I also salute the strong cooperation between the African Union, the European Union and the United Nations. As members of the Council know, a Task Force has been established between our three organizations and it has made progress in supporting voluntary returns of migrants. Co-chairing the operational group in Tunis, UNSMIL is dedicated to these efforts. However, the concentration on migration should not allow us to forget those many Libyans held without judicial process and often subject to ill treatment. Failure to address custodial abuses fuels local conflicts and undermines national reconciliation and efforts to build a rule-of-law-based State. Transformative change is overdue. Most worrying for us are the individual predatory agendas that continue to dominate at the expense of the collective good. No political solution can be durable unless an end is put to the predatory economics that have dominated the Libyan scene in the past few years, where public resources are more often than not used for various purposes other than in the service of the Libyan people. Conflict over resources is indeed at the heart of the Libyan crisis. The Mission will not spare any effort to advocate that national wealth be directed towards the provision of public services rather than to special interests. This is all the more necessary as fuel shortages, electricity shortages and water shortages are common across the country. It is a painful irony that a country of such plenty is consistently so short of the necessities. I would note once again that it is our collective responsibility to ensure that Libya’s remaining frozen funds are effectively managed as a safeguard for the future. Additional work is still needed to make this truly happen. As the Council is aware, Under-Secretary-General for Political Affairs Jeffrey Feltman visited Libya from 9 to 12 January. Mr. Feltman’s visit was timely and very welcome. It was an opportunity to reinforce messages to the Libyan political and military leaders that it is time for compromise, in the interests of the Libyan people. On behalf of the Secretary-General, Mr. Feltman urged the Libyan interlocutors to truly commit to working together and implement the action plan to create the conditions necessary to end the transitional period. I would once again like to express my appreciation to the Council for its steadfast commitment and support to the action plan for Libya and to our efforts to end the crisis in that country.

I thank Mr. Salamé for his briefing. I now give the floor to Ambassador Schoulgin Nyoni.

In accordance with paragraph 24 (e) of resolution 1970 (2011), of 26 February 2011, I have the honour to report to the Security Council on the work of the Committee established by the same resolution. The report covers the period from 17 November 2017 to 17 January 2018, during which time the Committee dealt with various aspects of the sanctions regime via the written silence procedure. The Committee approved two requests for exemption to the arms embargo, both of them submitted under paragraph 9(c) of resolution 1970 (2011) by the United Nations Support Mission in Libya (UNSMIL). The Committee also received two post-delivery notifications, one from UNSMIL and the other from the Netherlands, for previously exempted items. The Committee further received an update from UNSMIL on issues faced during and after the transfer of exempted items. The post-delivery notification from the Netherlands also contained such information. The Committee responded to a letter from Turkey that voluntarily provided information on the donation of certain items that fell within the scope of the exception to the arms embargo contained in paragraph 10 of resolution 2095 (2013). Concerning the assets freeze, the Committee responded to two requests for guidance, one received from Algeria and the other from a United Nations Department, on the scope and implementation of this measure. With respect to the measures aimed at preventing illicit exports of petroleum, including crude oil and refined petroleum products, from Libya, the Council will recall that two vessels — the Capricorn and the Lynn S — are currently included in the Committee’s sanctions list. During the period under review, the Committee received a letter from the Syrian Arab Republic informing it that the Capricorn had unloaded diesel oil in the tanks of the Syrian Company for Oil Transportation and that the Syrian Government had since informed all concerned authorities not to receive this vessel again. The reply from the Committee is still under consideration. On 27 November 2017, based on information received from its Panel of Experts, the Committee updated the list entry of the Capricorn, indicating that the flag State, previously Tanzania, was now unknown. As regards the Lynn S, based on information received from Libya and from the Panel of Experts, the Committee has written letters to the reported States of destination, seeking their clarifications on the matter. On 16 January 2018, the Committee received the interim report of the Panel of Experts pursuant to paragraph 14 of resolution 2362 (2017). The Committee is scheduled to discuss the report and its recommendations on 9 February.

I thank Ambassador Schoulgin Nyoni for her briefing. I now call on Ms. Sharief. Ms. Sharief: This opportunity to address the Security Council is an opportunity any member of Libyan civil society would appreciate. I want to thank Kazakhstan for inviting me today as a representative of the Together We Build It organization to share my civil- society perspective with the Council. The Libya we are discussing today is no longer the wealthy country it used to be. Nowadays women, men, youth and even elderly people sleep in front of banks in the hope that they can withdraw some cash to cover their basic needs. In hospitals, patients must provide their own medications, as hospitals do not have even these essential resources. Just last week I saw the extensive bruises covering a fellow activist’s face after she was badly beaten by members of an armed group in the streets of Tripoli. In 2011, the Security Council adopted resolution 1973 (2011), which called for the protection of Libyan civilians. The Libya we are discussing today is witnessing forms of violence that go far beyond what the Security Council aimed to protect against in 2011. For many Libyans at that time, the resolution was a life-saver. It was a rescue signal indicating that the international community and the Security Council were willing to do everything in their power to protect civilians. Our hope turned to despair as many Libyans then quickly felt abandoned by the international community and the Council. There was no follow-up plan or strategy to empower the Libyan people beyond the military intervention. Neither was there a plan for recovery from the extreme form of violence that was introduced into the society in 2011. While volunteering at Tripoli central hospital during the war of 2011, I was struck by the fact that the first patient I met was not the typical war victim I used to see in the media. He was a civilian who had been injured on his way to the grocery store. I still remember his son’s words when his father passed away a few days later: “What did my father do to them?”, asked the young boy through his tears. At that very moment, I knew that the actions of the international community had not changed only a political regime; they had changed people’s lives dramatically. However, despite all the disappointments, extreme violence and lack of resources the country is enduring, Libyans are doing their best to ensure that life goes on. In Libya, support from the international community continues to be greatly needed, but this support going forward must be completely and urgently redesigned to empower the Libyan people, including men and youth, to play an active role in peacebuilding. We cannot have a repeat of the 2011 international support efforts, which directly affected power structures on the ground. As such, when implementing the United Nations Support Mission in Libya (UNSMIL) action plan on Libya, crucial questions therefore need to be addressed. Who receives support from the international community? Who is invited to take part in negotiations, and who needs mediation? Who is recognized by the action plan as an important player, and what security threats will the action plan identify and prioritize? For example, the threat of open borders in Libya is a matter of people’s security, as it poses the threat of arms smuggling and human trafficking. However, most of the international community’s recent efforts address it only as a threat posed by immigration. For Libya, violent extremism is a threat to personal freedom and human rights, but for the international community it is addressed only as an external threat to the West. The role of civil society must be a necessary focus of the UNSMIL action plan. In that regard, I would like to focus on women and youth. In Libya, there are many national and local initiatives that strengthen peacebuilding, conflict prevention and conflict resolution. My organization — Together We Build It — created the 1325 Network in Libya, which works in different parts of the country to provide women and young people with a platform for self-development in areas related to human security and countering and preventing violent extremism. The work of my organization as a civil society actor has inspired many women and young people to become active in promoting peace in the country. We recently launched a new platform called Peace and Security from the Libyan Woman’s Perspective, in which more than 1,000 Libyan women participated in fewer than three days. This shows that women and young people participate in peace efforts whenever the opportunity arises. However, their efforts must be supported by the international community so that the outcome of their work will be reflected throughout the country. Determining the real problem is the first step towards the right solution. As such, the problem in Libya is not only a conflict-related issue; it matters how parties to the conflict communicate with each other. Part of the Libyan solution would be to establish communication channels not only among the parties directly involved in the conflict, but among all actors in Libya — State actors and non-State actors, including civil society. Such channels must ensure that all actors have an equal opportunity and the space to communicate feedback, opinions and feelings with each other. If UNSMIL’s action plan is to be a shared agenda where international interests meet Libyan priorities and needs, then the implementation of every aspect of the plan must be systematically integrated with resolutions 1325 (2000) and 2250 (2015). Those resolutions should serve as guidelines for the implementation of the action plan, not only to position women and young people to lead mediation and conflict resolution efforts, but also to address the long-term structural issues that often fail to sustain peace. As such, arising from our belief in the United Nations and its principles, and based on our belief that peace is based on equality, justice, demilitarized security, non-violence and inclusive social transformation, we urge UNSMIL and the Security Council to ensure the full implementation of the recently adopted resolution 2376 (2017), and take the gender perspective into account by ensuring the full and effective participation of women in the democratic transition process, reconciliation efforts, the security sector and national institutions, in line with resolution 1325 (2000). Moreover, for resolution 2376 (2017) to be implemented, specific human and financial resources must be allocated. Women make up more than 50 per cent of Libyan society and young people make up more than 50 per cent. It is clear from the political process that the people in charge of bringing about sustainable peace in our country, our leadership, do not reflect the demographic structure of our country. We would like to see greater representation and participation of women and youth throughout the political process. We would also like UNSMIL to ensure the meaningful participation of women and young people in the upcoming national conference. We would like to see women and young people taking part in all conference meetings — open and closed-door meetings alike. Furthermore, we would like the upcoming elections laws to ensure that women and young people have a fair chance to participate, with a minimum quota for women and a separate one for youth. In addition, as Libyan civil society, we would like the Special Representative of the Secretary- General to hold regular meetings with women and young people in order to consult with them on all aspects of UNSMIL’s action plan; strengthen disarmament efforts as disarmament is the key element in preventing the further escalation of conflict; and promote the full and effective participation of women and young people in all disarmament-related discussions. A violence-free society is one in which Libyans desire to live. Moreover, ensuring investigations into and the monitoring of human rights violations, including sexual violence, the safety, dignity and longer-term needs of survivors and their families should be at the heart of the such efforts. Grass-roots civil society organizations, including local women and youth organizations, should be supported in their efforts to advocate that approach. I would like to conclude my statement by echoing the words of Tawfik Bin Saud, a young activist who was shot dead in 2014. He stated that working for peace should never stop; only war should stop. All Libyans dream of prosperity, peace and stability. The responsibility to make that dream come true rests on the Council’s shoulders.

I thank Ms. Sharief for her statement. I shall now give the floor to those Council members who wish to make statements.

I thank Mr. Salamé and Ms. Schoulgin Nyoni for their briefings. I also warmly welcome and thank Ms. Sharief, our civil society briefer, who conveyed a very powerful message and eloquently highlighted the importance of an inclusive peace process that includes, in particular, women and youth. Perhaps as a follow-up to the discussion, it would be helpful to hear more from the United Nations Support Mission in Libya about how it integrates the gender perspective in its work. Let me begin by welcoming the update of Special Representative Salamé on the political process and by reiterating the United Kingdom’s full support for his work. In our presidential statement of 14 December 2017 (S/PRST/2017/26), we in the Security Council urged all parties to support the political process in a spirit of compromise for the sake of the Libyan people. That must include support for the efforts of Special Representative Salamé to secure consent to amend the Libyan Political Agreement and commitment to the sequencing of the United Nations action plan. As Ms. Sharief highlighted, civil society has an essential role to play in ensuring that the voices of the people are also heard during discussions on the future of their country. All Libyans, regardless of their age, gender or where they are from, must feel represented and understood by their political leaders. That will encourage Libyans to support their political leadership and build trust in the political process. The greatest immediate need is the establishment of a more inclusive political platform, which is essential to creating an executive better able to improve the security, human rights and economic conditions in Libya. A more inclusive political settlement would also build a context more conducive to preparing for elections. We welcome the Special Representative’s emphasis on ensuring the right conditions are in place ahead of elections, including the necessary political, legislative and security preparations to guarantee their success. As we saw from clashes at Mitiga Airport on Monday, the security situation in Libya remains of deep concern. As we have stated, there can be no military solution in Libya. All parties must exercise restraint and express their support for national reconciliation, which must include the reconciliation of the security forces. Unified security forces, under the command of the civilian Government, which represent and work for all Libyans will also enable the threat posed by extremist groups to be tackled in a sustainable way. They will help bring an end to the impunity of armed groups, which are inextricably linked to the gravely concerning human rights situation. Ungoverned spaces in Libya create the conditions for abuses and violations of international humanitarian law, which take place against civilians, internally displaced persons and migrants. We fully support the work of the African Union-European Union-United Nations Task Force in tackling slavery in Libya. We call on all parties that are suspected of committing, ordering or failing to prevent such human rights abuses and violations to be fully investigated, and if found guilty, to be held to account for their actions. We also stand ready to consider the sanctioning of individuals involved in people trafficking in modern slavery. We are also concerned by reported restrictions of civil and political freedoms and the intimidation of civil society organizations, public servants, religious groups and national minorities, including recent attacks on Sufi shrines and Amazigh representatives. These groups must be allowed to participate in Libyan society and the political process. Finally, with regard to the economic situation, the Council needs to continue to protect the Libyan people from economic hardship, including by supporting the restoration of the economy and the delivery of service across the country. We must act robustly against attempts to illicitly sell oil and establish parallel institutions. We need to continue to ensure that sanctions measures keep up with the situation on the ground. That includes the work we have done to address fuel oil smuggling. However, we should also be ready to rectify inadvertent consequences, such as addressing the depreciation of frozen Libyan Investment Authority funds, which remain frozen at the Libyan Government’s request until their eventual return for the benefit of the Libyan people. A stable, unified, inclusive Government is the best way to improve the security conditions, the economic fortunes and human rights situation for millions of Libyans. It will also improve global peace and security and our ability to address the challenges of migration. We must continue to stand together in support of Special Representative of the Secretary-General Salamé’s efforts to achieve this. We, like him, urge Libya’s political leaders to put their country first.

The Kingdom of the Netherlands would like to express its sincere thanks to Special Representative of the Secretary-General Ghassan Salamé, Ambassador Schoulgin Nyoni and Ms. Hajer Sharief for their clear statements. We welcome the call of Ms. Sharief for an inclusive approach, including the perspective of civil society, particularly women and youth. Please allow me to focus on three important aspects: ending the political crisis, the human rights situation and combating impunity, and coordinating international efforts. My first point concerns the political process. The year 2018 will be crucial for Libya. The Libyan people have long awaited an end to their country’s political transition. The current window of opportunity to achieve this, through the successful implementation of the action plan, should not be missed. We express our deep concern about Monday’s clashes at Mitiga Airport, which regrettably are symptomatic of the fragile security context in which Libya’s transition is taking place. The Kingdom of the Netherlands fully supports Special Representative of the Secretary-General Salamé’s action plan. Its success will depend, above all, on the political will and courage of the Libyan parties to take the required steps. We call on all parties to continue to work within the framework of the Libyan Political Agreement. This Agreement remains the only viable framework to end the Libyan political crisis. In this context, we urge the delegations of the House of Representatives and the High State Council to swiftly finalize their negotiations on the limited amending of the Libyan Political Agreement. To thoroughly prepare for elections, the sequencing of the steps of the action plan will be of key importance. Concrete results from the negotiations on amendments will give the necessary boost to its implementation and will provide the foundations for the next stage of convening a national conference. My second point concerns the human rights situation and the prevailing culture of impunity in Libya. The Kingdom of the Netherlands remains deeply concerned about serious human rights violations and abuses that continue throughout Libya. The human rights situation of migrants and refugees remains of particular concern. Immediate steps need to be taken to improve their plight, and the international community, including the Council, should do more. Dismantling the criminal trafficking networks that exploit migrants and refugees and destabilize Libya requires our specific attention. During our membership of the Council, including through the Libya sanctions regime, we will explore new avenues in combating these inhumane practices. We welcome the resolute action taken by the International Organization for Migration, the Office of the United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees, countries of origin and local authorities to facilitate the safe return home of a growing number of migrants who were facing dire conditions in Libya. This shows the importance of our strengthened cooperation. Joint efforts can lead to concrete and humane solutions in the very complex field of migration. Impunity in Libya remains a grave problem. In 2014, Salwa Bugaighis, a leading women’s right advocate in Libya, was brutally murdered. Her case is just one example among many that have yet to be investigated and prosecuted. We urge all parties to respect human rights and international humanitarian law and reiterate that all those responsible for violations and abuses must be brought to justice. It is essential that we answer the calls for accountability in line with resolutions 1970 (2011) and 2174 (2014). Their prosecution will help prevent further atrocities and thereby contribute to sustaining peace. In that regard, we welcome the efforts of the International Criminal Court and call upon the Libyan Government, and in fact all concerned, to cooperate fully with the Court and the Prosecutor. This brings me to my third point, namely, that of the coordination of international efforts in Libya. We welcome the progress made in the return of the United Nations Support Mission in Libya (UNSMIL) to Libya. The Mission’s partial relocation to Tripoli is an important step forward. We look forward to the further return to other parts of Libya, to the extent that the security situation will allow it. The expansion of UNSMIL’s presence in Libya will also benefit its coordinating role in the fields of humanitarian aid, security and human rights, which remains vital. We welcome the progress made by the joint police and security programme of UNSMIL and the United Nations Development Programme in improving the security situation in Tripoli, though Monday’s clashes show that no progress can be taken for granted. In conclusion, with the launch of the action plan in September the Libyan parties have been presented with a new opportunity to direct their country towards a future of stability and prosperity. It is now up to them to show the courage and leadership to make the necessary compromises.

I would like to begin by warmly thanking Special Representative of the Secretary-General Ghassan Salamé for his very valuable briefing and commend his ongoing efforts to find a political solution. On behalf of France, I assure him of our full steadfast support. I also thank Ms. Hajer Sharief for allowing us to hear the voice of Libyan civil society. She stressed the importance, for Libya and in general, of enabling effective women’s participation in peace processes. Finally, I thank the Deputy Permanent Representative of Sweden for her enlightened briefing on the work of the Committee established pursuant to resolution 1970 (2011) concerning Libya. I would like to underscore three principal points. My first point is that, with regard to the political situation in Libya, the stabilization of the country is more than ever a priority for France. The implementation of the Special Representative’s action plan is the key to easing tensions and achieving an inclusive political solution. We therefore continue to give our full support to Special Representative Ghassan Salamé in that endeavour. The first positive steps have already been undertaken in the political process. Consultations between the two chambers have led to a consensus on key points in the revision of the Skhirat Political Agreement. That Agreement remains the only valid and legitimate framework throughout the transition, as the Council recalled in its statement of 14 December 2017 (S/PRST/2017/26). However, we must now go further. We must move forward in drafting the constitution and all stakeholders must remain engaged throughout the two next steps. First, the inclusive national conference will be decisive, as it should make it possible to contribute to the national reconciliation of all Libyans and to garner the necessary political consensus for the success of the elections. The second deadline is the holding of a transparent and democratic electoral process in 2018 that will enable the people of Libya to express themselves. As the Special Representative of the Secretary- General pointed out, the number of registered voters recently exceeded 2 million, thanks to the efforts of Mr. Salamé, who is making every effort to ensure the success of the elections. We congratulate him, and the international community must support a credible and transparent electoral process. Mr. Salamé is actively making preparations for those two deadlines, and we can appreciate how lengthy the preparation process is. The Security Council must fully support him and call on all Libyan stakeholders to commit resolutely and sincerely to the implementation of its action plan. That is the message of the French Minister of Foreign Affairs, Jean-Yves Le Drian, delivered to Mr. Al-Sarraj and Mr. Haftar when he visited Libya on 21 December. My second message, in the context of the volatile situation on the ground, is to insist that there can be no military solution in Libya and that all actors must convince themselves of that. In recent days, radical militias have launched a worrisome new offensive in Tripoli, in the Sirte region where Da’esh continues its abuses. France condemns such use of armed force. Defeating terrorism in Libya once and for all and ensuring sustainable security will require a political solution centred around national reconciliation and the restoration of a State with full control of all its territory. In that context, the Constitution and the building of a unified national security architecture under civilian authority is an absolute priority. In this fragile security context, the economic and humanitarian situation continues to deteriorate. The Council cannot ignore that situation, which weighs heavily on political balances. Our role is also to ensure that all Libyans can enjoy the country’s significant wealth. I am referring particularly to Libya’s oil resources, which should remain under the exclusive control of the Government of National Accord, pursuant to Council resolutions. We must not hesitate to strengthen the sanctions mechanism to fight against the parallel economy that stokes political divisions. Finally, I wish to address the situation of migrants passing through Libya, who are victims of serious human rights violations. We are maintaining close dialogue with our partners and the Libyan authorities in order to make progress in fulfilling the commitments to ensure that migrants can received dignified treatment and in facilitating cooperation with the Office of the United Nations High Commissioner as it relates to access to detention centres and the evacuation of refugees and migrants. The issue of migrations was also at the heart of our Minister’s visit to Libya on 21 December. The Council has highlighted the importance for perpetrators of such crimes to be prosecuted by the Libyan judiciary, but individuals responsible for human trafficking and the trafficking of migrants must also be sanctioned under the existing United Nations regime. We must continue to work together in that regard. Moreover, Libya must meet its obligation to cooperate with the International Criminal Court and help it carry out its investigations and issue arrest warrants. That would be an important signal of the commitment of Libyan actors to international criminal justice and to the fight against impunity, which are essential for securing the trust of the Libyan population. In conclusion, I note that all of our efforts must converge on supporting Mr. Salamé’s plan of action. The people of Libya, with the support of the international community, have a major interest in seeing their country advance towards national reconciliation and political consensus. In that regard, our support for the United Nations and our unity within the Council will be more important than ever if we are to successful navigate the different stages of the action plan. France pledges its full mobilization to that end.

At the outset, I would like to express my sincere appreciation for the tireless efforts of the Special Representative of the Secretary-General for Libya and Head of the United Nations Support Mission in Libya (UNSMIL), Mr. Ghassan Salamé, to achieve peace and stability in Libya and secure a prosperous future for our Libyan brothers. In this regard, we cannot but highly value the role of UNSMIL in those efforts. I also thank the Deputy Permanent Representative of Sweden, Ms. Schoulgin Nyoni, for her briefing on the work of the Committee established pursuant to resolution 1970 (2011) concerning Libya. I also extend my thanks for the valuable information provided by Ms. Hajer Sharief on the vital role of civil society to restabilize Libya. In Kuwait’s first meeting to discuss the situation in Libya, I would like to reaffirm our full and firm commitment to supporting all United Nations efforts to put an end to the crisis in Libya, and most importantly to achieve the desired objectives of the United Nations action plan for Libya, including amending the Libyan Political Agreement, organizing a national conference, preparing for the elections and providing and delivering humanitarian assistance to those in need, especially at this crucial stage in the history of the sisterly State of Libya. At the same time, we appreciate the great efforts made by the Under-Secretary-General for Political Affairs, Mr. Jeffrey Feltman, during his visit to Libya last week to consolidate the democratic transition process. Almost four months have passed since the Secretary-General presented his action plan. Today, we are witnessing encouraging signs and important steps to reinvigorate the Libyan political process. We have seen that in the detailed and extensive briefing made by Mr. Salamé, which reflects the extent of progress made in the country since his last briefing before the Council (S/PV.8104). We shall spare no effort to ensure the unity of the Council and to avoid anything that might undermine the unity of the Libyan people and the prospects of security and stability in Libya under the Libyan Political Agreement. We believe that the Agreement is the best way to achieve a Libyan-led comprehensive political solution, to reach a political settlement for the Libyan crisis and to put an end to the deterioration in the country. In that context, we stress the need for all Libyans to adhere to paragraph 5 of resolution 2259 (2015), which rejects all attempts to undermine the Libyan-led political process facilitated by the United Nations. In that regard, we welcome the important role of the Presidency Council of the Government of National Accord and the role of all Libyan leaders in fostering national reconciliation. We have been closely following the meetings of the joint drafting committee of the House of Representatives and the High State Council through the rounds of meetings hosted by Tunisia, to which we are thankful, in order to reform the Political Agreement. In that regard, we welcome the progress made in reconciling the positions of Libyan parties and agreeing on a reasonable and applicable time frame. We also stress the need for all Libyan parties to complete the rounds of negotiations in respect of introducing the necessary amendments to the Political Agreement, especially since its implementation is considered vital to the success of the political transition process. We urge our Libyan brothers to step up their efforts to revitalize the political process for the sake of ensuring unified and stable governance with broad representation under the Political Agreement. That would allow for the convening of the national conference as a prelude to adopting an electoral and constitutional framework that would guarantee the holding this year of general elections that are acceptable to all Libyans. Those efforts must include the adoption of a new electoral law to organize the polling process and to allow for the High National Electoral Commission to complete the electoral list and the registration campaign as a primary factor for the success of the elections. We emphasize the importance of creating the right conditions for holding the elections, at both the security and the technical levels, so as to ensure the participation of the largest number of Libyans. We urge the international community and regional organizations to provide the necessary support for, and supervision of, the elections in order to guarantee their integrity. We call on the House of Representatives to finalize the new Libyan constitution, which will not be achieved unless national interests prevail over all other considerations. Any further delay will only prolong the suffering of the Libyan people. The State of Kuwait has followed with great concern the recent violence in a number of Libyan cities, which claimed the lives of many innocent people. In that regard, we condemn in the strongest terms the assassination of the Mayor of Misrata, Mr. Mohamad Eshtewi, in late December. We therefore call on the Libyan authorities to bring the perpetrators of such crimes to justice in order to prevent impunity. We also emphasize the need for all parties to comply with and respect the ceasefire agreed on in Paris on 25 July 2017, and to fully comply with the provisions of international humanitarian law and international human rights law. We also condemn all terrorist acts in Libya and urge that terrorism be combated in all its forms and manifestations under a unified civilian Government. Furthermore, we reiterate the importance of unifying and strengthening the Libyan armed forces, under the State military institution, to enable them to deal with such dangers and to prevent them. There is no doubt that the difficulties facing the Libyan people are clearly increasing as a result of the economic situation, which is deteriorating day by day owing to the political instability. We agree with Mr. Salamé regarding the need for concerted international efforts to help the Libyan people to take full advantage of the enormous wealth in Libya. We commend the decision to establish a national fund to compensate the victims of the conflict and hope that adequate solutions will be found with regard to Libyan foreign investments to prevent any losses. Regrettably, the problem of illegal migration remains a real obstacle to achieving the security and stability in Libya to which we all aspire, in particular following the emergence of heinous practices of slavery against a number of migrants late last year. We condemn such practices in the strongest terms and emphasize the need for the international community, in general, and the countries of origin and destination, in particular, to address the root causes of that problem, especially since Libya is a transit country and therefore suffers as much as the destination cuntries. In conclusion, we reaffirm the need to broaden the dialogue on the amendments to the Libyan Political Agreement. We believe that all participating parties should be sufficiently flexible in order to achieve the desired outcome.

We express our gratitude to Mr. Ghassan Salamé, Special Representative of the Secretary-General and Head of the United Nations Support Mission in Libya, for his briefing, We also take this opportunity to reiterate to him our support in his difficult responsibilities. In addition, we thank Ambassador Irina Schoulgin Nyoni for her briefing on the activities of the Committee established pursuant to resolution 1970 (2011), concerning Libya. We also thank Ms. Hajer Sharief for her briefing and the information she provided to us. Her candidness, strength and commitment regarding the destiny of her country fills us with hope for the future of Libya. My delegation highlights the commitment to and readiness for political dialogue shown by the parties at the meetings of the joint drafting committee, held in September and October 2017, to reach joint agreements that provide for the implementation of the Libyan Political Agreement. We believe that such willingness should be maintained and reflected in concrete results that will make it possible to stabilize Libya. In that regard, we look forward to the holding of the national conference to be held in February. We hope that it will be a space for encounter, reflection and reconciliation that will allow the Libyan people as a whole to move forward decisively in resolving the structural problems facing them. Moreover, we firmly believe that progress must continue to be made on the results achieved by the constituent assembly and that the constitutional framework must be strengthened in order to develop the complete normative infrastructure for the establishment of reliable and capable institutions to strengthen the Libyan political process. Likewise, we acknowledge that the progress made by the Libyan High National Electoral Commission in voter registration is a fundamental step that will make it possible to hold the elections planned for this year. We call for such efforts to continue steadily until all voters are registered. In that regard, we pay tribute to, and emphasize the efforts being made by, the various regional organizations and stakeholders, such as the African Union, to strengthen, support and cooperate in the implementation of the Libyan political process and the action plan established by the Special Representative. However, we note with great concern that the situation with regard to migrants and refugees has not improved, since, according to the report of the Office of the United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees of 10 January, in the first days of the year, the Libyan Coast Guard recovered the bodies of 443 people who lost their lives trying to cross the Mediterranean Sea. Unfortunately, those victims must be added to the more than 5,000 deaths registered during 2017 off the coast of Libya. In addition, we are very concerned about the ongoing reports of violations of the rights of migrants who end up being held indefinitely in detention centres under appalling conditions and are often subjected to degrading treatment, torture, the denial of medical assistance and sexual violence, not to mention the disturbing reports of the existence of slave markets. In that regard, we call on the parties to make all necessary efforts to prevent abuses and violations of the human rights of migrants in centres under their control. We remind them that they must meet their obligations under international humanitarian law and ensure respect for the rights of those people. We once again reiterate our call on the Libyan authorities to begin the relevant investigations to make it possible to identify those responsible for such violations so that they can be immediately brought to justice and answer for their actions. Moreover, we regret the reports of armed clashes in the city of Tripoli on Monday, 15 January, in which at least 20 deaths were recorded. We note with deep concern that there are still outbreaks of violence to the detriment of the security and integrity of the civilian population. In that context, we again call on the parties and local stakeholders to lay down their weapons and to avoid all calls to violence, since such attitudes not only threaten the lives of hundreds of innocent people but also disregard and violate the progress made to date in implementing the Libyan Political Agreement. We remind all stakeholders and parties involved that the only option for resolving the conflict is through compliance with the Libyan Political Agreement as recognized by resolution 2259 (2015). We reaffirm that its implementation is crucial to completing the political transition, as the Council stated in the presidential statement of 14 December 2017 (S/PRST/2017/26). In conclusion, it is important to reiterate and to bear in mind that the impact that the Libyan conflict has had on the security situation in the region is a direct consequence of the interventionist practices and the regime-change policies, which have had repercussions for the Sahel, leading to the outbreak of chaos, terrorism and violence with unfortunate results that continue to play out to this day.

We express appreciation to Special Representative of the Secretary-General Ghassan Salamé for his briefing as well as for his continued diplomatic endeavours to bring about lasting peace and stability in Libya. We also Sweden’s leadership of the Security Council Committee established pursuant to resolution 1970 (2011) and thank the Deputy Permanent Representative, Ambassador Irina Schoulgin Nyoni, for her briefing on the activities of the Committee. We also thank Ms. Hajer Sharief for her remarks. We once again reiterate our support for the United Nations action plan endorsed by the Security Council in its efforts to bring about a Libyan-owned political solution under the auspices of the United Nations. We commend the Special Representative for his continued efforts to facilitate the implementation of the action plan in close collaboration with the Libyans and other stakeholders. It is encouraging that progress has been made on a limited amendment of the Libyan Political Agreement, which we believe remains the only viable framework for ending the transitional period. We also appreciate the provision of assistance by the United Nations to the relevant Libyan authorities in order to facilitate the holding of elections in 2018. We believe the registration of more than 2 million voters demonstrates the commitment and readiness of the Libyans to engage in a democratic electoral process that would end the transitional period. Furthermore, the efforts of the Special Representative to promote local reconciliation and dialogue, including through the holding of several town hall meetings and preparations to hold a national conference, will contribute to addressing the internal division among Libyans and help foster a spirit of harmonious coexistence among all segments of society. We recognize that serious challenges remain in fully implementing the action plan, including the lack of effective and unified State institutions, insecurity — including the recent outbreak of fighting in Tripoli — and human trafficking, inter alia. Therefore, the Special Representative of the Secretary- General’s continued efforts to implement the United Nations action plan requires more coordinated and coherent support from Libyans and the international community. In that regard, we urge all Libyan actors to continue their engagement in the political process in a constructive spirit with a view to finding a lasting political solution and realizing the legitimate aspirations of the Libyan people. To seize the current window of opportunity, the United Nations should further strengthen its partnership with Libyans. In that regard, we welcome the recent visit of Under-Secretary-General Jeffrey Feltman to Libya, which further demonstrated the commitment and readiness of the United Nations to support Libyans in their endeavours aimed at bringing about peace and stability. The international community, and in particular the Security Council, should also continue to support the implementation of the action plan. We believe the Council’s presidential statement of 14 December 2017 (S/PRST/2017/26) sent the right message, and its full implementation will be vital to accelerating the progress already made with respect to the action plan. The role of neighbouring countries and regional organizations also remains critical to ending the Libyan crisis. In that regard, we welcome the visit of the Special Representative to Addis Ababa and commend him for holding useful and extensive discussions with senior officials of the African Union (AU), including the Chairperson of the AU Commission. We believe that such meetings could further strengthen coordination and ensure greater collaboration between the two organizations with a view to achieving lasting peace in Libya. The agreement reached between the two organizations to work together to build consensus among Libyans, unify the Libyan institutions, form an inclusive national Government, hold free and fair elections in the country based on the relevant decisions of the Security Council and the AU Peace and Security Council, and build on the African Union road map and the United Nations action plan is very welcome. In addition, addressing the plight of migrants should also remain one of the top priorities of the international community. Finally, I would like to conclude by reiterating our support for the Special Representative and the work that he has been doing to facilitate the implementation of the United Nations action plan. We all know that the road ahead will not be easy, which is why it is vital to further galvanize the support of the Libyans themselves and the international community in order to bring to fruition a Libyan-led political solution under the auspices of the United Nations.

I would like to thank Special Representative of the Secretary-General Ghassan Salamé for his useful briefing on the United Nations Support Mission in Libya (UNSMIL) as well as on current developments in the country. In addition, I would like to thank Ms. Hajer Sharief for her valuable remarks on the current needs of, and challenges to, civil society in Libya. I also thank Ambassador Irina Schoulgin Nyoni for her helpful briefing on the ongoing work of the Security Council Committee established pursuant to resolution 1970 (2011), concerning Libya. We are committed to the sovereignty, independence, territorial integrity and national unity of Libya. We believe that the Libyan Political Agreement is the only framework for an inclusive political solution to the conflict during the transition period. We commend the United Nations action plan presented by Mr. Salamé last September as the most appropriate solution to the issue of Libyan national reconciliation. We therefore encourage all Libyans to work together in a spirit of compromise to finalize the political transformation. We also wish to reiterate the importance of the participation of women in the process. We commend the project undertaken to bring about national reconciliation in Libya, which is supported by the United Nations Peacebuilding Fund and implemented by UNSMIL and the United Nations Development Programme, as it creates the conditions for building the trust needed for national reconciliation. In that regard, we take note of the Charter for Peaceful Coexistence ,adopted in Fezzan last December. However, we are concerned about the deteriorating situation in the country, including the immigration crisis and the threat it poses to regional and international peace and security. In that regard, we call on the United Nations Support Mission in Libya, in cooperation with the Office of the United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees and the International Organization for Migration, to address the root causes of large movements of people, including forced displacement, unmanaged immigration and trafficking in persons, in order to prevent exploitation of refugees and migrants by smugglers and human traffickers. All refugees and migrants should be treated with humanity and dignity. We therefore urge and encourage the Libyan authorities to take concrete steps to stamp out human rights violations and abuses in centres under their control, remove those reasonably suspected of carrying out violence, investigate and prosecute those responsible and publicly signal that such abuses will no longer be tolerated. Poland calls for an international order based on respect for international law and the delivery of justice. We also support holding accountable those who obstruct and undermine the Libyan Political Agreement.

I thank Special Representative of the Secretary-General Salamé, the Deputy Permanent Representative of Sweden and Ms. Sharief for their briefings. When we talk about Libya today, so many of the problems we face go back to one key issue: respect for human rights and fundamental freedoms. This conflict began when the Libyan people rejected the Al-Qadhafi regime’s decades of oppression and tyranny. That brutal dictatorship left Libya with weak institutions, which gave political spoilers, criminal gangs and terrorists a chance to exploit Libya for their own purposes. After organizing a revolution to demand a more stable, unified and prosperous future for all, the Libyan people have yet to achieve that fundamental goal. That is why the United States stands firmly behind the efforts of Special Representative Salamé and behind implementation of the United Nations action plan. As we have said many times before, political dialogue and reconciliation is the only way forward. There is no alternative to the United Nations process. There is a window of opportunity right now for Council members to push for new momentum in the political process, and that is where we must focus all of our efforts. The recent video of Afghan migrants being sold into slavery shows the dire consequences of allowing Libya’s security vacuum to continue. It was a profoundly disturbing sight. The existence of slave markets anywhere in the world must offend the conscience of every decent human being. These heinous abuses of human rights must come to an end. We appreciate that Libya’s Government of National Accord swiftly condemned slavery in all forms and made a commitment to investigate and hold those responsible to account. Such an investigation should proceed quickly and transparently. An untold number of migrants continue to be detained in camps outside of Government control, where their captors assault them and deprive them of food. This ongoing crisis shows just how urgent it is to support Libyan efforts to stabilize the country. The Libyan people deserve a Government able to provide basic services, enforce the rule of law and guarantee security, including the protection of the most vulnerable. The United States is committed to the humane treatment and protection of migrants and refugees. We strongly support the Office of the United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees (UNHCR) and the International Organization for Migration (IOM) in their work to improve conditions for migrants in Libya and to help those with claims to protection. Since 2011, we have contributed generously to these organizations to address this regional crisis, including more than $150 million to ease suffering in Libya, including support for refugees, vulnerable migrants and the internally displaced. But there is much more work to do. We appreciate Libya’s cooperation with UNHCR and the IOM and urge them to deepen this collaboration. As the Security Council, we can look for opportunities to identify and designate for sanctions the individuals and criminal networks responsible for the human rights abuses aimed at migrants. The United States will also continue its efforts with the United Nations Support Mission in Libya (UNSMIL) and other United Nations agencies to strengthen Libyan police and security institutions, and we urge others to join us. Libya’s wealth and natural resources are also at risk. These are resources that should be protected and used to benefit all Libyans. But political spoilers and criminal gangs are diverting these assets for themselves. The United States strongly condemns these actions. We are especially concerned about fuel-smuggling, and we will continue to press the Security Council to sanction any vessels involved in such criminal activities. We expect all States Members of the United Nations to fully comply with their obligations regarding ship designations. Stepping up sanctions enforcement would be another step towards disrupting the criminal networks that contribute to the instability in Libya. While the Islamic State in Iraq and the Sham has been weakened in Libya, the threat of terrorism is very real. Libya must not be a safe haven for terrorists to plot attacks, and terrorist groups must be defeated to secure a peaceful future for the Libyan people. The only viable solution to these security, economic and migration challenges is a political solution to the current crisis. The United States is committed to a strong, unified Libya, which is why President Trump hosted Libyan Prime Minister Faiez Mustafa Serraj in Washington, D.C., recently. The United States commends Prime Minister Serraj’s leadership and the efforts of the Government of National Accord to support a political solution. There is no room here for political spoilers. The United States will oppose attempts to impose a military solution to this political crisis, which would further undermine Libya’s stability. Those who pursue a military solution will wind up helping terrorist groups that thrive on instability. The only legitimate path to power is through free and fair elections. We welcome the recent progress with voter registration in Libya, including significant numbers of youth and women who have already signed up to vote. The United States is providing assistance to Libya’s High National Electoral Commission to help prepare as well. To build on this progress, the House of Representatives must uphold its commitment to pass laws for a constitutional referendum and for elections this year, in consultation with the High State Council. As the Libyans prepare for elections, we support United Nations efforts to promote more effective and accountable governance for this transitional period. All Libyan parties should engage constructively with the United Nations to strengthen the Libyan Political Agreement. The Security Council has affirmed that the Libyan Political Agreement must remain the framework for the political process throughout the country’s transitional period. The fact is that after decades of tyranny followed by years of fighting and chaos, the Libyan people deserve a better future. Libya’s political leaders must set aside their personal agendas and come together for the sake of peace. The Libyan people deserve a stable, unified, democratic Government with institutions that are capable of stamping out the abuses of criminal networks and non-State militias. The door to a more peaceful Libya is open through engagement with the United Nations political process. The United States urges all parties in Libya to seize this opportunity without further delay.

Allow me at the outset to express my thanks to the Special Representative of the Secretary-General of the United Nations and Head of the United Nations Support Mission in Libya (UNSMIL), Mr. Ghassan Salamé, and his team for their broad-ranging and detailed report on the situation in Libya. I would also like to thank the Deputy Permanent Representative of Sweden, Ambassador Irina Schoulgin Nyoni, for her outstanding briefing in her capacity as Chair of the Security Council Committee established pursuant to resolution 1970 (2011) concerning Libya. Her input helps us to better understand the situation in the country. We would also like to thank Ms. Hajer Sharief, co-founder of Together We Build It, for her very illuminating briefing. Since 2011, Equatorial Guinea has been closely following developments in Libya, now more than ever given that we are a member of the Security Council, because this is a brotherly country to whose problems we cannot be indifferent. We all are witness to the importance of the effects and consequences of the destabilization that has affected this previously stable country. Equatorial Guinea wishes to express here its full commitment to the peaceful stabilization of Libya and a return to peace and normality there. In 2011, His Excellency the President of Equatorial Guinea, Obiang Nguema Mbasogo, Acting Chairman of the African Union, invited the international community and African Union partners to provide unreserved support to the parties to the conflict so that they could work together to put an end to hostilities, ensure the effective protection of the civilian population and create conditions favourable to a dialogue between the parties to the conflict, thus beginning the reforms necessary to address the causes of the current crisis. It is in this regard that our Head of State, in his statement before the General Assembly at its sixty-sixth session, said: “The use of force in a conflict is not a unifying factor but rather one of division” (A/66/PV.11, p. 35). That is why Equatorial Guinea believes that in order to achieve the desired stability and peace in Libya, it is vital that the parties and the various stakeholders in the country commit to this process through transparent, frank and inclusive dialogue in good faith. The Libyan Political Agreement of 2015 must serve as the basis for all efforts at reconciliation and should serve as a framework until the process has been concluded and has been determined to be sufficiently inclusive to accommodate the aspirations of the two assemblies and lead to an end to the political crisis in Libya. The Agreement must also make it possible to progress in legislation with respect to the process that should lead to transition. The launching, on 20 September 2017, of the United Nations action plan for Libya aims to build upon and strengthen the Libyan Political Agreement in order to create the right conditions for the holding of free and fair elections. The United Nations Support Mission in Libya (UNSMIL) has provided the necessary technical support to the High National Electoral Commission and is working assiduously to create the right political, legislative and security conditions for the holding of elections this year. The elections should enable the country to return to political, institutional, economic and social normalcy. In the same vein, UNSMIL is also involved in the preparations for the national conference that should bring all of Libya’s people to the table to address, frankly and comprehensively, the myriad problems affecting the country. We are pleased to note that the action plan has made some headway. The United Nations convened meetings at UNSMIL offices in Tunis of the joint drafting committee, composed of members from both the House of Representatives and the High State Council, to agree on a set of amendments to the Libyan Political Agreement, in additon to it’s having indicated that this framework could end the crisis. As as result, the provisions of article 12 of the Political Agreement were implemented. The action plan also includes a commitment to assisting armed groups, by developing a strategy that would enable them to gradually reintegrate into society. The Libyan people are eager for peace and an end to seven years of uninterrupted conflict. Equatorial Guinea believes that the assistance and efforts of the various international entities to bring about peace in Libya are indispensable, since the complex nature of the situation and the hostility of the parties to the conflict require external mediation, which, in this case is provided through the quartet partners — the African Union, the League of Arab States and the European Union — and the role played by neighbouring countries, such as Egypt, Tunisia and Chad. In spite of the considerable progress made in the country, major challenges remain, such as insecurity, impunity, the humanitarian situation and migration-related issues. The proliferation of armed groups operating outside the law leads to serious violations of human rights, whose perpetrators go unpunished. That situation results in flagrant cases of impunity and anarchy. The humanitarian crisis is also an important element of the crisis because the country is still far from achieving the levels of education, security and health care it enjoyed prior to the outbreak of the crisis in 2011. Groups, entities or individuals in today’s Libyan society posing a threat to Libya’s return to normalcy must be subject to exemplary sanctions. Immigrants remain the main targets of such issues and become the victims of extreme violence, forced labour, trafficking, extortion, murder and other serious abuses and harassment, such as the odious trafficking in migrants, both inside and outside of official detention centres. We call upon the Government of Libya to address such challenges through a direct and comprehensive approach in order to find a definitive solution that respects both the rights of immigrants and those of the country’s host communities. Lastly, I would like to convey our firm support to the United Nations Support Mission in Libya for its laudable and tireless efforts to promote peace, security and stability in this brotherly country, despite challenges, sacrifice and loss in an environment that is at times exacting. We encourage UNSMIL to continue to support the Libyan authorities and institutions in their efforts to build peace in this brotherly country.

Let me thank the Special Representative of the Secretary-General and Head of the United Nations Support Mission in Libya (UNSMIL), Mr. Ghassan Salamé, for his briefing on the situation in Libya and to assure him that my country, Côte d’Ivoire, supports his efforts to bring about peace in Libya. I would also like to commend the staff of UNSMIL on their efforts in a very challenging environment. I would like to sincerely thank Ms. Sharief for her relevant briefing and ongoing commitment to ensuring that the voices of women and youth are heard in the democratic process in her country, Libya. Finally, I would like to commend the Deputy Permanent Representative of Sweden, Ambassador Irina Schoulgin Nyoni, on her briefing on the twenty-seventh report of the Committee established pursuant to resolution 1970 (2011), concerning Libya. Today’s meeting gives me an opportunity to talk about my country’s concerns surrounding the implementation of the Libyan Political Agreement and the humanitarian and security situation in the country. I welcome the international community’s ongoing commitment to assisting the Libyan people in their quest for peace and stability, in particular since the signing of the Agreement in Skhirat, Morocco. In spite of its constraints, that important Agreement remains the reference framework that will lead the country to a democratic, credible and inclusive transition and a sustainable political solution. In that regard, Côte d’Ivoire welcomes the most recent presidential statement of the Security Council (S/PRST/2017/26), dated 14 December 2017, with regard to the situation in Libya. The statement reiterated the continuity of the Political Agreement throughout the country’s transition and enabled the Council to dispel all uncertainty surrounding the political process and to foster discussion among Libyan stakeholders. Similarly, my delegation believes that the support of the Council for the sequencing of operations detailed in the action plan should enable the Government and the people of Libya to lay the foundation for a consensus- based constitutional reform, which is required for the successful holding of future elections. In that regard, the Ivoirian delegation welcomes the efforts of the Special Representative of the Secretary-General to foster political dialogue among the Libyan parties and to encourage them to resolve, without delay and in the interests of the Libyan people, all outstanding issues, in particular the reconstitution of the Presidential Council and the establishment of a representative unity Government and a unified army. The political process in Libya is now at a decisive juncture. All actors involved in efforts to build peace in this brotherly country must therefore work together to reach a sustainable solution to the crisis. There is no other path to peace and security in Libya. Côte d’Ivoire therefore encourages Libya’s neighbours, as well as France, the African Union, the European Union and the United Nations, to work together in order to bring peace to the Libyan people, which, now more than ever, is within reach. My country welcomes and pays tribute to the efforts of the African Union and its commendable involvement in the search for peace in Libya since the beginning of the conflict. The Government of Côte d’Ivoire welcomes the adoption of the road map of the African Union on Libya and the tireless efforts of President Denis Sassou Nguesso, Chair of the High- level Committee of the African Union on Libya. Those efforts led to the holding of the meeting of Lybian tribal leaders in Brazzaville in November 2017 and to a meeting of the main protagonists of the crisis, both of which contributed to strengthening dialogue among all parties. My country calls on Africa and Europe to work even more closely to support the Libyan people’s determination to achieve peace. This important political progress must be taken into account so that the national conference planned for next February lives up to its purpose. With regard to the humanitarian and security situation, my delegation remains concerned about the numerous human rights violations brought about in large part by the armed militias and terrorist groups, which are preventing the State from spreading its authority throughout the country and preventing it from maintaining order. The security situation in Libya is a real source of concern for the international community, which fears that the Islamic State and other terrorist groups could take root in the country, which has already seen a proliferation of armed militias. In parallel to the political process and in order to guarantee its success, we must also address the issue of armed militias and the consequences of the jihadists’ withdrawal to Libya and foreign terrorist fighters who were defeated in Syria and Iraq. The presence of those fighters is a serious threat to stability and peace in Libya and they contribute to the destabilization of the Sahelo-Saharan region. There is no alternative to strongly countering terrorists, human traffickers and smuggler networks if we want to sustainably build peace and put an end to the appalling practice of slavery, the selling of human beings and the inhumane treatment of refugees, which our countries have all condemned. In that regard, I call on the international community to sign the joint statement of the fifth Summit of the African Union and the European Union, which was held from 29 to 30 November 2017 in Abidjan, in order to put an end to this degrading situation and protect the life and dignity of migrants and refugees. Before concluding, I would like to express my delegation’s vigorous condemnation of the illicit export of crude oil, which Her Excellency Ms. Irina Schoulgin Nyoni just made us aware of in her briefing. This trade is a source of funding for armed groups, prolongs unnecessarily the suffering of the Libyan people and complicates the resolution of the conflict, which is tearing the country apart. The United Nations and the Security Council cannot run the risk of allowing that illicit trade to flourish. We must therefore take all the necessary measures to put an end to it. My delegation would like to reiterate its congratulations to Mr. Salamé for the excellent work he is carrying out under difficult circumstances in order to fulfil his mandate. We call upon the international community to provide him, as well as Libyan institutions and in particular the High National Electoral Commission, all the support necessary to ensure the successful holding and outcome of the electoral process.

I would like begin by to thanking Special Representative Salamé for his briefing to the Security Council today and for his valuable efforts. We strongly support his work and that of the United Nations in Libya. I would also like to welcome the inspiring briefing from Ms. Sharief. I thank her for bringing the essential voice of civil society, particularly that of Libyan women, to the Council. We commend the efforts she is undertaking in a truly challenging environment. We have consistently advocated for the United Nations to play the leading role in the mediation efforts in Libya, and we are particularly encouraged by the recent visit of Under-Secretary-General Feltman. Continued high-level United Nations engagement in Libya is important for a reinvigorated, inclusive and long-term approach in support of the Libya-led political process. Special Representative Salamé can be assured of our full support as he continues to implement the United Nations plan of action for Libya.We are encouraged by his flexible and pragmatic approach and we remain committed to the Libyan Political Agreement as the only viable framework for the transitional period. After years of conflict and violence, rebuilding trust between communities is an essential prerequisite for rebuilding the country. We welcome the bottom-up approach to promoting reconciliation and unity — at local as well as national levels. We agree with Mr. Salamé that this is also a crucial part of laying the foundation for elections. We are encouraged by the progress made to date in the voter registration exercise, with almost 2 million voters now registered by the High National Electoral Commission. We urge all Libyan political leaders to engage constructively in the election preparations and to help create the necessary political, legal and security conditions for elections in 2018. All Libyans have the right to live in a democratic State that upholds the rule of law and respects human rights. Ms. Sharief eloquently and forcefully communicated the indispensable role that women are already playing in building trust and reconciliation in Libya. Let me join her in reiterating the importance of women’s fair representation and full participation in each step of the political process going forward. We welcome the participation of women in the drafting committee sessions in Tunis, and expect that upcoming gatherings, as well as the national conference, will be inclusive and will also provide opportunities for Libyan women’s concerns to be addressed — for example, on issues of security and mobility. Such an inclusive peace process will open up opportunities for a more just peace, and is more likely to be perceived as representative and legitimate by the population at large. In Libya, we now need to seize the momentum and place women’s full enjoyment of their rights at the core of international peace and security. This is not a women’s issue, it is a peace and security issue. We remain deeply concerned about the suffering of migrants and refugees in Libya. Every effort must be made to safeguard those who have fled human rights abuses and violations in their home countries in search of refuge or a better future. We reiterate our call for full and unhindered humanitarian access to detention centres and for further efforts to turn detention facilities into open transit centres that meet international standards. In addition, investigations into crimes committed, including the slave trade, as well as accountability for those responsible, is crucial. We remain open to exploring the possibility of using sanctions to target smuggling and trafficking in persons. Finally, the assets of the Libyan people must be managed properly so in the future they can be used for the benefit of all Libyans. For that reason, we are concerned about the management of Libya’s frozen assets and about indications of a depletion of those funds. In our national capacity, we are committed to working with the United Nations and partners to explore ways of improving the current situation.

My delegation would like to thank Mr. Ghassan Salamé, the Special Representative of the Secretary-General and Head of the United Nations Support Mission in Libya, for his instructive briefing on the situation there, as well as the statements by the Deputy Permanent Representative of Sweden, on behalf of the Chair of the Committee established pursuant to resolution 1970 (2011) concerning Libya, and by Ms. Hajer Sharief. In that regard, we would like to emphasize the importance of advancing the implementation of the Libyan Political Agreement and the United Nations action plan in order to facilitate and mediate the political process being conducted by the Libyan parties. The dialogue between the High State Council and the House of Representatives is a positive step, insofar as it expresses mutual recognition and interest in progressing towards a national transition based on implementation of the Political Agreement signed in 2015. We call on all domestic stakeholders to participate actively in that process, which, in the words of Mr. Salamé, is Libya’s only path to stability and unity. We welcome the initiative to convene a national conference under the auspices of the Secretary- General. It will be essential to establish a platform for coordination, commitment and cooperation between the various political actors and Libyan civil society. We would like to highlight the importance of involving all national actors committed to sustaining peace in the country, especially women and young people, as Ms. Sharief so eloquently emphasized. The national conference should be an inclusive space for dialogue and reconciliation, leading, as soon as possible, to transparent, credible general elections that are accepted by all parties. The endorsement and support of the international community will be essential to achieving that goal. However, we are still concerned about the ongoing violence and acts of terror, such as the murder of the mayor of Misrata and the recent attack on Tripoli’s airport. We are also worried about the serious and reprehensible violations of human rights reported by the United Nations High Commissioner for Human Rights, including trafficking in persons and the situation of migrant groups. According to UNICEF reports, more than 36,000 migrant children in Libya require urgent humanitarian assistance in Libya. Libya’s situation as an country of international transit demands the strengthening of appropriate measures for preventing and addressing abuses and human rights violations. In that regard, we think it important to pursue initiatives aimed at establishing oversight and control mechanisms in the country. In conclusion, we reiterate our support for Mr. Salamé’s work, and we will continue to closely monitor the Libyan political process with a view to helping contributing to Libya’s efforts to achieve in the near future the standards of good governance, sustainable development and guaranteed respect for and promotion of human rights that it deserves.

We thank Mr. Salamé for his briefing. We very much appreciate his professionalism and diligent efforts in the work of restoring the Libyan State. We support the steps taken by the United Nations to help to end the conflict in Libya on the basis of the Special Representative’s action plan. In that regard, we are pleased to see the ongoing contacts between Libyan parties, including the representatives of Tripoli and Tobruk. We see progress in the discussion of issues related to amending the Libyan Political Agreement, which still represents the basis for a peaceful settlement. However, it is clear that this is only the first phase of the major job that lies ahead. We hope that the negotiations will continue and will start to resemble reliable agreements as soon as possible. Once the amendments to the Skhirat agreement agreed on by the Libyans have been incorporated into it, its implementation should help to resolve the whole complex of urgent tasks on Libya’s agenda, including restoring order on the security front, seriously combating terrorism, reviving the economic and social sectors, rectifying the humanitarian situation and addressing the escalating problem of illegal migration. At the same time, we believe that it will be crucial to have the international cooperation of the appropriate specialized bodies in order to counter the criminal business networks associated with human trafficking. That challenge cannot be left up to Libya alone. We impatiently await the day when Libyans are launched on the road to sustainable development and can independently dispose of their country’s rich resources, which no one else has the right to infringe on. We are concerned about the recent clashes around the Tripoli airport. Such events are not uncommon in Libya, unfortunately. Among other things, they are a sign of inadequate control over the situation and a reminder of how vital the task of establishing a unified system for the State administration and security apparatus is. A broadly representative inter-Libyan dialogue is still the only effective way to deal with the protracted crisis and achieve national reconciliation. There should be no attempts to unfairly exclude patriotically minded political forces from discussing the parameters of national reconstruction. We hope that Libyans, with the support of the United Nations action plan, will be able to restore unity in their country, taking the interests of every region into account. We have consistently emphasized the importance of consolidating international efforts to assist Libya. Each mediating mission should function on the basis of the same rules, aimed at uniting the country. We welcome constructive initiatives, undertaken in an understanding of the importance of strengthening the central coordinating role of the United Nations. We urge all the parties involved to give due and careful attention to the ideas proposed by the African Union. We must not forget that in 2011 a disregard for the regional dynamics expressed by that important continental organization resulted in the wasting of a genuine chance for a political settlement for Libya. Instead, in violation of a resolution of the Security Council, a military aggression was launched that led ultimately to the destruction of the Libyan State, which the United Nations is currently attempting to restore. On behalf of the Chair of the Committee established pursuant to resolution 1970 (2011) concerning Libya, Ms. Schoulgin Nyoni informed us about that sanctions entity’s work in the past few months. We appreciate the Swedish delegation’s efforts, led by Ambassador Skoog. The problem of the illicit proliferation of arms in Libya remains acute, affecting security in the country itself and in the Sahara-Sahel region and demanding the most stringent possible control over shipments of military equipment to Libya conducted under the current exemptions. Russia cares deeply about the restoration of peace and stability in Libya, which we envisage as a united, independent State, playing a significant role in international and regional policy. We are ready to cooperate further in promoting the political process in Libya, and to assist Mr. Salamé by supporting trustworthy contacts with all Libyan stakeholders. That is our principal doctrine.

China thanks Special Representative Salamé and Ambassador Schoulgin Nyoni for their briefings. China also listened attentively to the statement made by Ms. Sharief. At present, Libyans are striving to restore peace and stability. However, the country still faces multiple challenges, including difficulties in their political process, a fragile security environment and rampant terrorist activity, as well as the large-scale movements of refugees and migrants. All Libyan parties should place the overall interests of the country and the vital interests of its people above all else and jointly take active measures to promote the peace process. The international community should continue to provide concrete support to that end. First, all actors should remain committed to the overarching objective of seeking a political settlement to Libyan issue. The future of Libya should be determined by the Libyan people themselves. The international community should respect the sovereignty, independence and territorial integrity of Libya, and continue to promote a Libyan-led and -owned political process. All Libyan parties should resolve their differences through inclusive dialogue and find a solution that accommodates all interests through political means. The Libyan Political Agreement is a fundamental framework for ending the Libyan crisis and contributes to national reconciliation and the restoration of national governance. Secondly, the international community must create favourable security conditions for Libyan political dialogue. China supports Libya’s efforts towards safeguarding national security and stability. We hope that all actors in Libya will bolster dialogue, continuously build mutual trust, work towards building unified national armed forces and take united and concerted counter-terrorism action so as to effectively reduce the threat of terrorism. Thirdly, the United Nations role as the main channel of mediations should be preserved. Special Representative Salamé has led the phased return of the United Nations Support Mission in Libya to Libya. In line with the United Nations action plan of promoting the Libyan political process, he has facilitated extensive dialogue among all Libyan stakeholders, conducted in-depth discussions on such issue as drafting a constitution and made headway in the electoral process. Some progress has been achieved. The international community must enhance its confidence, maintain its patience and continue to support Special Representative Salamé’s efforts to press ahead with the action plan prudently. We hope that Libya’s neighbouring countries, the African Union, the League of Arab States and the European Union will increase their support to the Libyan political process. China will continue to follow developments closely and support all efforts to stabilize the situation on the ground, promote the political process for settling the Libyan question and help all parties to unite in combating terrorism. China stands ready to enhance its contribution to the early restoration of peace, stability and prosperity in Libya.

I shall now make a statement in my capacity as the representative of Kazakhstan. We thank Special Representative Salamé, Ambassador Irina Schoulgin Nyoni and Ms. Sharief for their comprehensive briefings. We fully support the view that the solution to the situation in Libya must be primarily and solely peaceful and that the ownership of the political process must belong to the Libyans themselves. The Libyan Political Agreement should remain the only viable framework throughout the transitional period. The adoption of the new Libyan constitution, the adoption of the electoral law by the House of Representatives and the holding of national elections will facilitate overcoming political division and help to bring about permanent stability. International efforts to advance political reconciliation in Libya should be consolidated under the leadership of the United Nations-led action plan. It is important that the Security Council maintain unity and support the work of Special Representative Salamé. At the same time, we must attach great importance to the development agenda, and it is vital that Libya’s oil resources be used for the benefit of the Libyan people. Issues of impunity and violations of human rights, the grave humanitarian plight and the dire situation of migrants should be addressed urgently. Strict compliance with the embargo on the supply of arms to Libya must be enforced. Finally, Kazakhstan stands ready to support the Council’s endeavour to bring about lasting peace and prosperity in Libya. I now resume my functions as President of the Council.

It is a pleasure for me to congratulate you, Mr. President, on your assumption of the presidency of the Security Council for this month. I would also like to thank Mr. Ghassan Salamé, Special Representative of the Secretary-General and Head of the United Nations Support Mission in Libya, for his important briefing, wherein he underscored the intensive efforts being undertaken to engage in dialogue with all Libyan stakeholders so as to bring together the viewpoints of the political parties. We wish him every success in this undertaking. We would also like to thank Ms. Irina Schoulgin Nyoni, Deputy Permanent Representative of Sweden, for her briefing, which covered recent developments with regard to the sanctions imposed against Libya. I also thank Ms. Sharief, who spoke about Libyan civil society, especially with regard to the situation of women and young people. I reiterate the commitment of the Government of National Accord to support the road map, to resolve the Libyan crisis and to achieve security and stability in Libya. Last December marked the second anniversary of the Libyan Political Agreement, which remains the sole framework for the political process in Libya, as reaffirmed by the international community in its statements and resolutions — the most recent of which was adopted in 2017 (S/PRST/2017/26). Despite the lack of means, the challenges of recent years have led us to work tirelessly to surmount the obstacles that have emerged at all levels, which continue to weigh heavily on the daily lives of the Libyan people. Members should be aware that positive developments have taken place, specifically at the security level in combating terrorism, as well as the with regard to Government oversight of State institutions. However, a number of commitments have not been met due to political divisions and the existence of parallel institutions, despite the fact that the international community has confirmed their illegal nature and called for such entities to not be cooperated with. Certain States nevertheless continue to cooperate with the parallel governments — contrary to the Council’s relevant international and regional resolutions. We once again call upon all Libyan stakeholders to allow national interests to prevail over narrow ones, to put an end to the deteriorating situation in the country and to work together to build a strong, robust, civil and democratic State. Events in Libya in recent have showed that there is no military solution to the Libyan crisis. The only solution is a comprehensive, consensus-based political solution that brings together all stakeholders participating in political dialogue, without any exception. With regard to the United Nations road map, we highlight the forthcoming general elections in Libya — an initiative broadly supported by the Libyan people. The number of voting registrations has increased in various regions in Libya. Most political leaders have voiced their support for that increase, and the Government of National Accord has lent its support for the High National Electoral Commission to facilitate the electoral process. Against that backdrop, all positive indicators are rekindling hope for the success of the process. We call upon the Libyan Parliament to expedite the adoption of an electoral law. We will have to take into account numerous challenges, including encouraging the Libyan people to participate in the elections, ensure that all parties accept the the outcome and guarantee a safe and conducive environment for the holding of the elections, to take place under robust United Nations oversight and with the participation of regional organizations. That will ensure the integrity of the elections and prevent any flaws that could lead to future disputes. With respect to the participation of civil society, women and young people in the political process, and finding solutions for the issues plaguing the Libyan people, our Government is working with civil society through Libyan non-governmental organizations in all regions of Libya to establish dialogue and address the many concerns of the Libyan people. I turn now to the cargo vessel Andromeda, which was seized by the Greek Coast Guard en route from Turkey to the city of Misrata in Libya. According to the Greek authorities, it contained tons of dangerous materials used to manufacture explosives. The Government of National Accord reiterates its condemnation of all acts that threaten the security of the State and its citizens, and reaffirms its commitment to international resolutions related to the arms embargo imposed against Libya. It hopes that the Greek and Turkish Governments will convey to it the results of their investigations into these matters, and calls upon the Panel of Experts of the committee established pursuant to resolution 1970 (2011) to launch investigations in order to shed light on the circumstances. The Government of National Accord reiterates its rejection and condemnation of all violations of human rights and international humanitarian law, and the assassinations that take place in Libya, regardless of the perpetrators. It reaffirms that it stands strongly against whoever tries to destabilize the security and stability situation and endanger the lives of civilians in Libya. The Government of National Accord condemns all violations targeting refugees crossing Libyan territory in an illegal manner. It is monitoring the conditions endured by illegal migrants in detention centres so as to ensure that they are provided with adequate services in secure and safe conditions, in order to establish conditions conducive to their repatriation in cooperation with the United Nations Support Mission in Libya and the International Organization for Migration. With respect to allegations of human trafficking, our Government rejects such criminal acts, be they in Libya or elsewhere in the world. Such acts are against the traditions of the Libyan people, the values of the Muslim religion, applicable Libyan law and international laws and norms. The Prosecutor-General of Libya has launched an investigation into these allegations so as to ensure accountability where proof is provided. We welcome the participation of States and international and regional organizations seeking to assist the investigation into these allegations. In that regard, we commend the efforts of the United Nations, the African Union, the European Union and neighbouring States to resolve the question of illegal refugees in Libya and to ensure their repatriation. We reiterate our call on the Security Council to find adequate means to protect frozen Libyan assets through the better management of said assets and to assist the Government in stanching the losses accruing from their status. Such losses are considerable because the Libyan State is prohibited from managing them appropriately. Foreign banks are imposing negative, high-interest rates on Libya’s frozen assets, which has eroded our capital and assets alike. This grave situation — as we have repeatedly said — has entailed losses and waste in Libya’s frozen funds, which are intended for the Libyan people and future generations. Pursuant to resolution 1970 (2011), it is important that these assets be protected and not used in any way against the interests of the Libyan State. However, the present situation runs counter to that aim and is leading to the loss of assets. We have asked not for the freeze to be lifted, but for a solution to be found that would manage and protect the funds and investments while keeping them frozen. In conclusion, the Libyan people have been badly affected by the deterioration of their living standards at all levels, particularly at the economic level, due to political divisions. We hope that the international community will assist the Libyan people in restoring stability and building a democratic State. Once again, I wish Mr. Salamé every success in his mission. We are confident that his efforts will lead to better results.