S/PV.8448 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 Mr. Ghassan Salamé, Special Representative of the Secretary- General and Head of the United Nations Support Mission in Libya, to participate in this meeting. Mr. Salamé is joining today’s meeting via video tele-conference from Tripoli. The Security Council will now begin its consideration of the item on its agenda. I wish to draw the attention of Council members to document S/2019/19, which contains the report of the Secretary-General on the United Nations Support Mission in Libya. As this meeting, the Council will hear briefings by Mr. Salamé and Ambassador Juergen Schulz, Deputy Permanent Representative of Germany, in his capacity as Chair of the Security Council Committee established pursuant to resolution 1970 (2011), concerning Libya. I now give the floor to Mr. Salamé. Mr. Salamé: Allow me to congratulate the Dominican Republic on its assumption of the presidency of the Security Council. The south of the country, which encompasses almost 1 million square kilometers of land, remains Libya’s vulnerable heart. The source of much of the nation’s natural wealth, thanks to its water and oil, has been woefully neglected. Despite years of promises to address the situation there, conditions are deteriorating at an alarming rate. I had an opportunity to visit the region’s capital, Sabha, just a few days ago, in what was the first visit to the south by a Special Representative of the Secretary-General since 2012. I heard at first hand from citizens who spoke movingly about the terrible hardships they endure, from the wanton brutality of Da’esh to wading through lakes of sewage that were created due to the lack of investment in basic public infrastructure. Added to that is the insecurity posed by completely porous borders and the presence of foreign mercenaries and common criminals who prey upon citizens and migrants alike. Many told me that they were fearful to see their families step outside their homes after sunset. I urge the Government and the international community to move swiftly and decisively in support of the south. The United Nations Support Mission in Libya has set up a specific task force to tackle the situation there. Agencies are going to do their duty and help, but it is the Libyan authorities who must shoulder the burden. There is a cost to that inaction. The anger of the southerners, unfortunately, has translated into attacks against water pipelines and oil facilities, which hurt Libya’s slowly recovering economy. While the south is an acute case, similar woes, and a failure to alleviate them despite repeated pledges, plague the entirety of Libya. All Libyans struggle with deteriorating public services. Prison detainees, migrants, journalists and members of the judiciary, to name just some of those affected, are subject to abuse and violence at the hands of armed groups. Many thousands live with humanitarian concerns. Civilians continue to live in fear of becoming casualties of violent conflict. After months of calm resulting from the September ceasefire agreement, Tripoli was again rocked by renewed clashes two days ago. We have worked closely with all parties to stop breaches of the ceasefire from going any further. For now, the violations have been contained. Fighting in Derna is not over. Civilians have been killed in the conflict, families displaced and homes looted. Unconditional, unimpeded and sustained humanitarian access to the affected civilians in the old city is essential but denied. Civilians, including women and children, have been arrested and held in detention facilities without charge. Meanwhile, the Libyan National Army started to move into the south, beyond the positions that it held before. Wherever there is fighting, parties must take all measures to protect civilians and civilian facilities and adhere to international humanitarian law and human rights law. Where they do not, we will in time ensure that they face the consequences. There are signs of hope. Over the past months, we have seen some progress in efforts to stabilize the country and to improve the lives of the Libyan people. The Government of National Accord has continued to appoint new ministers, most recently to the vital portfolios of health and local governance. The reshaped Cabinet has improved our scope to support service delivery and reform. We are looking at the various ministries and deciding how, with Member States, we can further assist them in their efforts to reform and to deliver. The ceasefire negotiated between the major armed actors in September remains in place, although it must be constantly watched. The Minister of the Interior has been working hard to advance the security arrangements for Tripoli, which underpin the fragile ceasefire. The Mission has been providing technical assistance to the newly established security arrangements committee and to the development of a joint operations centre charged with coordinating the implementation of the security plan for greater Tripoli. While much remains to be done, those initiatives have helped to bring calm to the city. More broadly, there is a need to improve security across the country. Terrorists strike in various towns and cities, most recently in the attack by Da’esh on the Ministry of Foreign Affairs in Tripoli on 25 December. There are still sporadic clashes across the country, since law enforcement remains to a great extent in the hands of armed groups, not professional security officials. There is also hope in that regard. Last month, I attended the opening of the refurbished Libyan Police Academy, and this week I was at the ground-breaking ceremony for a model police station that will build on community-oriented and citizen-focused policing. Efforts are under way to train hundreds of police and judicial police. We are working closely with the Libyan authorities to transfer the control of prisons from armed groups to trained professionals under the control of the Ministry of Justice. We are also pressing the Government to address the travesty of civilians being held in prison without charge or due process. We have been told that hundreds have been released and that the cases of many others are under consideration. The economy has continued to stabilize. The black- market price of the Libyan dinar against the United States dollar has collapsed as a result of the economic measures announced last September. The difference between the official and the black-market exchange rates has narrowed significantly, while the parallel rate, which was 10 dinars to the dollar a year ago, today stands at 4.3 dinar to the dollar and is expected to fall further. That has had a tangible economic impact on the lives of many people in the country. Inflation has stabilized and commodity prices have dropped substantially in a country that imports a huge part of its needs in hard currency. Prices have dropped, some by 40 per cent. The liquidity crisis has finally been overcome. In most, if not all, cities and villages, the long queues of people standing for days outside automatic teller machines to obtain a small fraction of their assets are now over. Ministers are looking at ways to further that trend. The Ministries of Finance and Economy are both restructuring and reviewing their personnel to enable them to better deliver on their agendas. Financial crime advisers are being deployed by our partners in the European Union. Thanks to the German Government, staff of the Central Bank of Libya are receiving technical training from Bundesbank officials. Efforts to conduct an audit of the Central Bank are making good progress. We have facilitated an agreement between the Central Bank in Tripoli and the Al Bayda branch on the terms for the audit, which we are overseeing. The financial audit will entail a broad review of the balance sheet and financial transactions since the institutional split in 2014 and the formulation of recommendations for follow up. That is an important step towards the unification of the institution. Oil production had been at more than 1 million barrels per day, bringing much needed revenue into the treasury. Unfortunately, disturbances at the oil fields in the south over the lack of services to the region have led to a recent reduction in production. It is essential that such grievances be addressed without resorting to harming the national economy. Much more time and work are needed to create the prosperous, resilient and transparent economy that Libya needs. The Mission has reconfigured itself in order to better support that transformation. There is now a unit in the Office of my Deputy Special Representative for Political Affairs dedicated to advancing that agenda. It works closely with the international financial institutions concerned. Furthermore, in order to strengthen all fronts of the United Nations support efforts, we have redeployed the Mission in full force to Libya. I expect to finally reopen our office in Benghazi at the end of this month. We have relocated most of our staff back to the country. If security permits, I aim to reopen our office in the south this year. It is vital that we are in Libya. Apart from all the points that I mentioned above, we dedicate tremendous efforts to preventing conflict. In a country so finely splintered, every day brings with it new divisions that must be closed and fresh potential violence that must be stopped. The work of a Special Representative of the Secretary-General is also that of a firefighter, and the fires that need to be extinguished are many. Clearly, that cannot be done from abroad. We must be present. We must also be realistic. Without united and concerted national leadership, even the best of efforts will go only so far. The various gains that I have described are fragile and reversible. In that political environment, they will eventually collapse. Predators will find ways to circumvent the economic reforms. Actors will choose violence over politics. The recent events in Tripoli are a good example of that. We can fight fires but, eventually, there will be an inferno that cannot be extinguished. We must therefore do more and tackle the underlying dysfunctionalities of the Libyan State. The political deadlock in Libya has been underpinned by a complex web of narrow interests, a broken legal framework and the pillaging of Libya’s great wealth. Only Libyans themselves can plot a path out of that malaise towards stability and prosperity. Over the past year, we have received growing demands that we facilitate a national conference to allow them to do exactly that. In the coming weeks, we will seek to do so. Libyans, women and men, from across the country will gather in one place and decide how the nation should proceed to the end of the transition. Given the criticality of the event, it is vital that the national conference be held under the right conditions and with the right people and that it be capable of concluding with an outcome that is acceptable to the broad majority. We are working night and day to pull together those various elements in order to ensure the most productive event. Once the essential ingredients for a new consensus on a national agenda to rebuild a capable and united Libyan civil State have been agreed upon by the major players, we will be ready to announce the exact date and venue. I am encouraged by the commitment that the Libyans have expressed towards a new national agenda and by their forward-looking approach. It is high time that the political class respond to the daily calls for it to overcome its fractious, narrow and self-interested definition of governance. It is indisputable that the citizens of Libya wish to have elections at the earliest opportunity. One key outcome of the national conference must be to spell out the electoral path ahead. The High National Election Commission is working to ensure that technical aspects are in place for any electoral event, including a referendum on the constitutional proposal. We take note of the discussions between the Commission and House of Representatives with regard to referendum legislation and, as always, encourage constructive engagement. Prior to any election, key concerns must be addressed. Fundamentally, there must be genuine political support for whatever election is held and guarantees that the results will be accepted and respected by all. Funding is required. Security arrangements for electoral events must be determined. Public services must be working. If the status quo actors truly engage on the national conference, I believe that much of that can be more smoothly addressed. Municipal elections are an important element of grass-roots democracy and have provided an encouraging test for national elections. After the successful holding of elections in Zawiya, Derj and Bani Walid, I welcomed the start of the voter registration on 12 December for approximately 60 more municipal council elections, with polling planned to start in March. The past months and years have been defined by a struggle between entities and individuals, fuelled by personal ambitions, underpinned by institutional dysfunctionalities and leading only to a deteriorating status quo. However, what is past can be a prelude. Now is the time for Libya to come together in the spirit of compromise and overcome past difficulties. I beseech the members of the various Libyan institutions to see the national conference as a patriotic concern that transcends partisan and personal interests and to embrace it as a means to be the leaders this great country needs. Of course, there will be those who seek to undermine the national conference and its outcomes, in particular individuals hoping to delay elections so they may remain in their seats. Competing interests are natural. However, they should not undermine State-rebuilding and institutional reunification. Without the concerted support of the international community, spoilers will sabotage the political process and undo any progress made. If that were to be allowed, Libya’s progress would be set back years and would almost certainly open the door to those who believe that there is only a martial solution to Libya’s woes. Vital counter-terrorism activities will continue to be hamstrung without the accompanying State-building that they need to be truly effective. The Council’s support for our efforts and clear signals of resolve to the many potential spoilers are vital. As it is within the grasp of Council members, they the can provide the opportunity to ensure the success of the national conference and to make municipal, parliamentary and presidential elections a reality in order to foster Libya’s transformation into a stable and secure State, based on unified bodies and democratically elected institutions. I can only encourage everyone to seize this opportunity.

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

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 6 September 2018 to 18 January 2019. At the outset, since this is my first periodic report to the Security Council, let me say that I look forward to working with all the members of the Committee during this year. I would like to highlight four developments relating to the work of the Committee. First, on 11 September and 16 November 2018, respectively, the Committee listed two individuals, the seventh and eighth in 2018, as subject to the travel ban and assets freeze. Mr. Ibrahim Jadhran and Mr. Salah Badi were included in the sanctions list for engaging in acts that meet the sanctions designation criteria. Secondly, from 1 to 2 November 2018, my predecessor led a Committee visit to Libya — the first such visit since the inception of the sanctions regime in 2011. While the approved terms of reference had indicated Tripoli and Beida as the two destinations to be visited, the Committee visited only Tripoli, owing to the closure of Beida airport. The Chair intends to visit all areas agreed in the terms of reference as soon as possible, subject to logistical and security arrangements. Thirdly, on 5 November 2018, the Security Council adopted resolution 2441 (2018), through which it extended the mandate of the Panel of Experts to 15 February 2020. Through the same resolution, the Council extended the time-bound measures aimed at preventing illicit exports of petroleum from Libya, further elaborated the sanctions designation criteria to include, while not limited to, planning, directing or committing acts of sexual and gender-based violence, and called on Member States to report to the Committee on their implementation of the travel ban and assets- freeze measures. Following the adoption of resolution 2441 (2018), the Secretary-General appointed six individuals to serve on the Panel on 2 January 2019. Fourthly, on 4 and 17 December 2018, respectively, based on recommendations emanating from the Panel’s 2018 final report (see S/2018/812), the Committee adopted two Implementation Assistance Notices, entitled “Guidance to Member States on the correct application of the provisions of the resolutions regarding the payment of management fees on frozen assets” and “Guidance to Member States on the application of the provisions of the resolutions regarding the asset freeze in relation to the payment of interest and other earnings on frozen assets.” With regard to a third recommendation, concerning the issue of subsidiaries of listed entities as described in the Committee’s Implementation Assistance Notice 1, the Committee agreed to draw the matter to the attention of the Council, which is what I am doing. During the reporting period, the Committee approved two requests for exemption from the arms embargo, under paragraph 9 (c) of resolution 1970 (2011), submitted by Tunisia and the Kingdom of the Netherlands. Consideration of two additional requests, previously submitted by Malta under paragraph 9 (c) of resolution 1970 (2011), and recently submitted by Libya under paragraph 8 of resolution 2174 (2014), are ongoing. With respect to the assets freeze, the Committee received, and did not object to, three exemption notifications invoking paragraph 19 (a) of resolution 1970 (2011), submitted by the United Kingdom in relation to the legal expenses of the Libyan Investment Authority, Ms. Aisha Al-Qadhafi and the Libya Africa Investment Portfolio, respectively. The Committee also provided clarification on a letter invoking paragraph 19 (b) of resolution 1970 (2011), submitted by Switzerland in relation to the Libyan Africa Investment Portfolio. The Committee further responded to two requests, from Malta and Spain, respectively, providing guidance on the assets freeze. Finally, concerning the sanctions list, in addition to designating the two individuals I mentioned earlier, in September the Committee updated the identifying information of five previously listed individuals. The Committee also concluded its consideration of the delisting requests of Ms. Aisha Al-Qadhafi and Ms. Safia Farkash Al-Barassi, submitted through the Focal Point for Delisting, established pursuant to resolution 1730 (2006). Both individuals remain on the list.

I thank Ambassador Schulz for his briefing. I shall now give the floor to those members of the Council who wish to make statements.

I thank you, Mr. President, for scheduling this briefing. It is very good to hear from the Special Representative of the Secretary-General, Mr. Ghassan Salamé, and I thank him for everything he said. I want to start by also thanking him for restructuring the United Nations Support Mission in Libya and for the enormous progress made on opening the offices. As he said, that is really important. It is a good signal of the international community’s engagement with the people of Libya and what is happening there. I thank the German Ambassador as well for the sanctions report. Germany is now co-penholder with us on Libya, and obviously we look forward to working even more closely together. I want to reiterate my Government’s strong support for what the Special Representative of the Secretary- General and the United Nations are doing on the ground and our thanks to them for all their efforts. In particular, we support the approach of the Special Representative of the Secretary-General to the national conference. We believe it is the best way to reach an inclusive political settlement that stabilizes the country. We hope that all Libyans will come together and engage in that process. In particular, we hope that a broad spectrum of Libyan society will be represented at the national conference. We think we should work to ensure that. We look for participants to be drawn from as broad a political, regional, tribal and ethnic spectrum as possible. As the Council always says on these occasions, we look for proper representation of women. The Council has been united pretty well so far. We hope that we can rally around the United Nations action plan and that we can help other members of the international community and ensure that the United Nations Mission is able to implement the outcomes of the national conference. The Special Representative of the Secretary-General referred several times to spoilers. The pattern of attacks he described and the sporadic clashes throughout the country are obviously of great concern. The Council needs to be very clear: Libya’s future cannot and will not be determined by spoilers who wish to maintain the status quo purely for their own gain while ordinary Libyan citizens continue to suffer. The deteriorating security situation that the Special Representative of the Secretary-General described simply underscores how unsustainable the status quo is. We therefore believe that Libya’s political institutions need to work with the national conference and take account of its outcomes. That would signal they have the best interests of the Libyan people at heart and that they are committed to finding a durable political solution to the crisis. The Libyan people will find it very hard to understand if those institutions continue to fail to do what has been asked of them. With regard to the economy, I was very interested in what the Special Representative said about oil. We have got to support the United Nations Mission and the international financial institutions in putting in place further economic reforms. We need even more targeted and effective sanctions against spoilers. The progress that has been made with the Central Bank of Libya is also very welcome, but obviously it needs to take place in parallel with work to reunify the Central Bank in the capital with that in the east. Finally, with regard to security, the ceasefire is welcome, but it looks fragile. A sustainable security architecture across the country will be necessary for Libya’s stability.

At the outset, I would like to 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. I also thank the Deputy Permanent Representative of Germany for his briefing on the work of the Libya Sanctions Committee, established pursuant to resolution 1970 (2011). I will focus in my statement on two main issues: first, security developments and, secondly, political and economic developments. First, with regard to security developments, the brotherly Libyan people faced dangerous qualitative challenges over the past year, which threatened the security and stability of the country. Foremost among them were the outbreak of military action in the oil crescent region and the regrettable military clashes in Tripoli, which led to many deaths and injuries. In addition, there were a series of terrorist explosions that have hit some vital Government institutions, such as the High National Election Commission, the Libyan National Oil Corporation and the Foreign Ministry headquarters, the latter a terrorist act for which Da’esh claimed responsibility. Those security challenges were the main result of the lack of unified security institutions under the control of the State. It is therefore imperative for the international community and the Security Council to make all the necessary efforts to ensure a sustainable solution to the spread of armed groups and provide support to the Government of National Accord in order to implement the joint security plan and ensure the security of greater Tripoli. The plan aims at security arrangements that can provide protection for citizens and private and public property, establishing public order, with uniformed security and police troops replacing military formations, and setting up mechanisms that coordinate with UNSMIL. We hope that all parties in Tripoli will cooperate with that plan, thereby having a positive impact on the security and safety of civilians as well as private and public property. Despite those challenges, it is of vital importance to highlight the security progress achieved in Libya, which Mr. Salamé touched upon in his briefing. As he stated, UNSMIL played a vital role at the beginning of this year through the visit by the Special Representative of the Secretary-General to the city of Sabha, in southern Libya, for the first time in seven years, despite the security challenges there. He listened to the various concerns and problems facing southern Libyans, especially security concerns. He also set the stage for the first model police station in the capital Tripoli, which will enhance Libyan security institutions and integrate professional practices into community policing, under the supervision of the Libyan Government. Secondly, with regard to economic and political developments, our meeting today is held after the international momentum generated at Palermo during the international meeting on 12 and 13 November 2018, which culminated in support for the United Nations action plan and the holding of a comprehensive national conference, which will be held in the first weeks of 2019 to prepare for the presidential and parliamentary elections. We hope that the national conference will respond to the concerns of all Libyans about advancing the Libyan political process in a way that puts an end to the current divisive situation, the continued stalemate and the intensive deployment of armed militias, thereby leading to a united and stable Libya free from threats to peace and security for all Libyans. Therefore, we urge both the House of Representatives and the High Council of State to continue their efforts and finish the limited amendments to the Libyan Political Agreement on reforming executive authority. We also urge the House of Representatives to finalize the Constitution referendum law in a way that meets all the concerns of the brotherly Libyan people. With regard to the economy, we welcome the plan for economic reform adopted by the Presidency Council. If implemented, the plan would meet the aspirations of the Lycian people and limit the control of armed militias over the parallel economy. We also welcome the progress made by UNISMIL in auditing the internationally recognized Central Bank of Libya and its parallel bank in the east. In conclusion, we reiterate our support for Mr. Salamé’s efforts to facilitate a comprehensive Libyan political process based on the United Nations action plan. We call on all Libyan parties to reach a peaceful political solution by working seriously and constructively to take the necessary technical, legislative, political and security steps to hold transparent, comprehensive and peaceful elections with a view to building a united, stable Libya. Here would like to recall Mr. Salamé’s words when he said that it is time to turn the page on division and that a united and just State is the only one capable of fighting to defend human rights and ensure the security and stability of the citizens.

We would like to begin by expressing our sincere condolences to the Government and the people of Colombia following the terrorist attack yesterday on a police academy in Bogotá, which has left eight dead and 38 injured so far. The Republic of Equatorial Guinea would like to thank the Secretary-General for his report of 7 January (S/2019/19). We are also truly grateful to Mr. Ghassan Salamé, Special Representative of the Secretary- General and Head of United Nations Support Mission in Libya (UNSMIL), for his hard work and his briefing on the current situation in the country. We congratulate Germany on its assumption of the chairmanship of the Committee established pursuant to resolution 1970 (2011) concerning Libya, during its membership of the Security Council. We offer Ambassador Schulz our full support and thank him for the report on the work of the Committee. Almost eight years after the outbreak of the Libyan crisis in February 2011, Equatorial Guinea remains very concerned about its current difficulties, the result of the ongoing political stalemate that exists despite the agreement signed on 17 December 2015, the precarious security situation, continued sporadic violence, the uncontrolled activity and influence of armed groups, terrorists and organized crime and the deterioration of the humanitarian situation, especially for the migrants who find themselves stranded in Libya. This demonstrates once again that despite the small positive steps forward that have been made, we still need further efforts on the part of the Council and the international community if we are to reach a definitive and lasting solution that restores normalcy to the Libyan people. In accordance with the decisions of the African Union, and as we have said on previous occasions, one of the solutions to the problem of Libya lies primarily in reconciling the opposing parties. We therefore affirm our full support for the notion of the territorial integrity of Libya, while condemning any action that might lead to divisions on ethnic, tribal or any other grounds that in turn fuel the conflict. In that regard, we stress the urgent need to put an end to the worrying proliferation and activities of the various terrorist and armed groups, which are operating with total impunity. That is another of the ways to help end the crisis. That said, we take this opportunity to express our total rejection and firm condemnation of terrorism in all its forms and manifestations, regardless of its origin, cause or area of action, and to reiterate our conviction that there can be no military solution to the Libyan conflict. If they are to achieve unity, the Libyan people must work together to move towards a prosperous, free, secure and lasting future where the Libyans themselves are in control and are the major players. In that regard, we commend the work of UNSMIL, since its establishment in Libya on 16 September 2011 based on resolution 2009 (2011), and Mr. Salamé, for their ongoing efforts to reach a political solution on the basis of the Libyan Political Agreement by facilitating an inclusive dialogue between the parties to the conflict, with the aim of promoting national reconciliation and emerging successfully from the current transitional phase. We were also pleased with the intentions of the Palermo conference, held from 12 to 13 November last year. We hope that the outcome this time, as opposed to the previous meeting in Paris, will have a clear impact on the prospects for overcoming the impasse in Libya and preventing the escalation of violence around the country. We hope that the right political and security conditions will be in place for the elections scheduled for next spring, as the conference indicated. We believe it is important to stress the importance of improving the cooperation between the African Union and the United Nations with a view to reaching a broad consensus on the actions to be taken to deal more effectively with the situation in Libya. It is also important to take into account the vital role of neighbouring countries in ensuring security and addressing the impact of the conflict in the region. Turning now to the humanitarian situation and the issue of human rights in Libya, we want to highlight our concern about the continuing violations of international humanitarian law and violations or abuses of international human rights law in a climate of impunity, as noted in the Secretary-General’s report, and which make the situation of migrants and refugees even worse, as they continue to be subjected to human rights violations, being deprived of their freedom or arbitrarily detained, and becoming victims of sexual violence, kidnapping, extortion, sex work, ill-treatment, torture and so on. They also continue to be prey to traffickers and smugglers, a situation that we have denounced from the beginning and that demands international collaboration to ensure that they are protected. It is a point we often repeat in every statement we make, as it is increasingly alarming. That is why we once again call on the Council to put an end to the situation by joining forces to tackle the problem in order to restore dignity to the thousands who suffer such humiliations on a daily basis in much of Libya. We acknowledge and thank the African Union for its participation in the trilateral working group that it has established together with the United Nations and the European Union in order to facilitate the orderly repatriation of migrants detained in Libya. Despite such efforts, additional measures and resources are needed to address the situation. In conclusion, we commend the efforts undertaken by the Government of National Accord with UNSMIL’s support in the area of security. We also welcome the steps taken by the Presidency Council to introduce economic reforms that are having a very positive impact, and to improve the sector with a view to combating corruption and implement a system that benefits the Libyan people as a whole, as Mr. Salamé just said in his briefing. We believe that more tangible, transparent and credible international support is required in order to address the current crisis in our brother country of Libya.

We would like to thank Mr. Ghassan Salamé, Special Representative of the Secretary-General, for his detailed and objective briefing. Russia supports the steps taken under the auspices of the United Nations to get results in the work of unifying Libya and stabilizing its internal political situation, which are so crucial to improving the situation in the region as a whole. We note the positive effect that the international conference on Libya held in Palermo in November has had in restoring mutual understanding between the two rival forces in the country’s east and west. In the absence of tangible progress in the intra-Libyan reconciliation process, the parties have been sent a message about the importance of surmounting their differences by a political route within the framework of an inclusive national dialogue based on the Libyan Political Agreement signed in Skhirat and the United Nations action plan for settling the Libyan crisis, with the ultimate goal of consolidating the key political forces and establishing unified State institutions that are fit for purpose. The Palermo conference enabled the international community to show its commitment to preserving Libya’s sovereignty, territorial integrity and unity. We greatly value Mr. Salamé’s professionalism and steadfast focus on restoring Libyan statehood and support his diligent efforts to promote a national dialogue and prepare for holding a national conference early in 2019. Against that backdrop, it will be crucial to ensure that all Libyan stakeholders show a sense of responsibility for their country’s future and work together to give the settlement process positive momentum. A great many obstacles remain in their path. We are obliged to conclude that despite all the efforts to promote an intra-Libyan dialogue, any prospects for a speedy settlement of the crisis are barely discernible. The disagreements between the key players in Libya’s political landscape have prevented the reconciliation process launched under the aegis of the United Nations from being implemented. The situation is complicated by security problems as well as the lack of compromise among the parties. The bloody terrorist attack of 25 December on the Foreign Ministry building was a sad confirmation of that, and we firmly condemn it. Unfortunately, those tragic events and the very recent clashes in the Tripoli area testify to the inadequate control over the situation in Libya and remind us of how crucial the restoration of unified systems of State governance and security forces is. The problem of the illegal proliferation of weapons in Libya has not diminished, and it is affecting security both in Libya itself and in the Sahara-Sahel region generally. That is why the international stakeholders, particularly the Security Council and its Committee established pursuant to resolution 1970 (2011) concerning Libya, should refrain from taking steps, including any related to application of the arms embargo on Libya, that might make the process of fostering dialogue and cooperation among the key Libyan political forces harder. We have consistently emphasized the importance of consolidating the international efforts to supply outside support for the intra-Libyan dialogue, along with an understanding of the importance of strengthening the central coordinating role of the United Nations. If that assistance is not harmonized under the auspices of the Security Council, it will be exceedingly difficult to resolve the crisis. Russia is deeply committed to restoring peace and stability to Libya, which we envisage as a united, independent State playing a major role in international and regional politics. We are ready to advance the political process further and help Mr. Salamé by supporting our trusted contacts with all Libyan parties and encouraging them to focus on seeking compromise for the sake of peace and stability in Libya and the Mediterranean region as a whole. That is our principled position.

Мy delegation welcomes this briefing on the situation in Libya. We congratulate Mr. Ghassan Salamé, Special Representative of the Secretary-General and Head of the United Nations Support Mission in Libya (UNSMIL), on the quality of his briefing and reiterate our support for his tireless efforts to promote peace and reconciliation in Libya. We also commend Ambassador Juergen Schulz for his detailed presentation of the thirty- second quarterly report of the Committee established pursuant to resolution 1970 (2011) concerning Libya. My delegation would like to take this opportunity to congratulate him on his election to chair the Committee and to wish him and his team every success in their work over the next two years. The actions undertaken by Mr. Faiez Serraj, President of the Presidency Council of the Government of National Accord, including the publication of decree 1303, which established the Committee on Security Arrangements for Tripoli, raised great hopes for a halt to the wave of violence in the capital. But the renewed fighting in Tripoli is not only a worrying violation of the ceasefire negotiated by the United Nations in September 2018, it has also put the relative improvement in the security situation in jeopardy. My country deplores and condemns the sporadic attacks by Da’esh, particularly that of 25 December on the Foreign Ministry building, which should focus the Council’s attention on the threat that this terrorist group continues to represent. On the political front, we regret to have to note the continuing divergence of opinions on the interpretation of the constitutional referendum law adopted by the House of Representatives on 26 November, which could delay the holding of the presidential and parliamentary elections agreed to at the Paris meeting on 29 May 2018. In that regard, my country welcomes the ongoing consultations between UNSMIL and the President of the Assembly aimed at reaching a consensus on the law, in order to enable the upcoming presidential and parliamentary elections to be held. The elections should help to end political instability, in line with the commitments made at the Palermo conference on 13 November and as reflected in the Paris political declaration. Also, in order to ensure inclusive and credible elections, it is vital that all the stakeholders do more to improve the security situation, reclaim the areas controlled by armed groups and trafficking networks and extend State authority throughout the national territory. My delegation welcomes the efforts of the Special Representative of the Secretary-General to organize a national conference in the first quarter of 2019. We assure him of our full support in organizing that important event. We await the conference’s conclusions with great interest and hope fervently that it can culminate in a national consensus among all the Libyan forces, including the tribes, women and young people, whose contribution to the national reconciliation process is extremely important. In that connection the regional actors have a significant role to play, which is why my delegation would like to welcome the willingness expressed by the Peace and Security Council of the African Union on 17 October 2018 to support UNSMIL in organizing the conference. With regard to the humanitarian situation and to human rights issues, my country calls on all actors to respect international standards in this area by ensuring the protection of the civilians and migrants who have been inhumanely treated and arbitrarily detained. In that regard, we would like to acknowledge Qatar’s generous contribution of $20 million for the establishment of a fund, managed by the African Union, that will finance the evacuation of migrants from Libya and their reintegration into their countries of origin. On the economic front, my country notes with satisfaction that the National Oil Corporation’s revenues for 2018 were 78 per cent higher than in 2017, reaching their highest level in six years. We also welcome Mr. Serraj’s ambitious monetary and fiscal reforms and his determination to solve the Libyan financial system’s problems, particularly the existence of two central banks and two interest rate systems, and the shortage of foreign exchange. In conclusion, Côte d’Ivoire reiterates its conviction that there can be no alternative to a political solution to the crisis in Libya. We therefore urge the international community to support Mr. Salamé’s efforts to organize a national conference in the next few months, thereby giving new impetus to the political dialogue in the country. We also urge all stakeholders to cease hostilities and engage constructively in this direction in order to break the impasse in Libya.

To begin with, I would like to thank Special Representative Ghassan Salamé for his very informative briefing on recent developments in Libya. I also thank Ambassador Juergen Schulz for his report on the ongoing work of the Committee established pursuant to resolution 1970 (2011) concerning Libya. He has our full support. Poland welcomes the unity shown by the international community at the Palermo conference and reiterates its full support for the United Nations action plan for Libya. We therefore call on all Libyans to spare no effort to ensure the holding of the Libyan national conference in early 2019, so as to end the political transition and unite the country. We believe that the conference will provide a platform and an opportunity to form a nationwide consensus to break the deadlock caused by those suppressing the rights and interests of Libya’s citizens and subsequently to prepare for the presidential and parliamentary elections. It goes without saying that the full and effective participation of women in Libya’s political and economic life is crucial for advancing peace and security. In that regard, we welcome the fact that the Women’s Empowerment and Support Unit of the Presidency Council has begun its work. We call once again on all political and military actors in Libya to refrain from the use of force. At the same time, we hope that the Government of National Accord will show a stronger determination to implement the joint security plan for greater Tripoli. Recent events have proved that the ceasefire reached last September did not last long enough, since the root causes of the ongoing violence in the Libyan capital were not eliminated. There is an urgent need to take a comprehensive approach to addressing security issues as one of the key topics of the national conference. We are sure that the vast majority of Libyans, who are suffering from the instability in their country, share that view. We therefore call on all political leaders to find commonly agreed ways to ensure the security of their citizens. There is no doubt that political and security reforms need to be linked with economic reforms. In that regard, we welcome the measures taken by the Presidency Council to introduce economic reforms for the benefit of the Libyan people and to limit the opportunities that the shadow economy offers to militias. We remain concerned about the loss of civilian lives in Libya, including during the violent clashes in Tripoli. We therefore call on all parties to fully respect international humanitarian law by taking every precaution to protect civilians; refraining from targeting civilians and civilian infrastructure; and ensuring that the wounded and the sick are properly cared for. We are also deeply concerned about the widespread human rights violations and abuses committed in the context of detention and the prolonged arbitrary detention of thousands of men, women and children without due process. We call on the Government to put in place measures to ensure that all those detained are protected from torture and other ill-treatment and granted their right to due process. We also urge the Government of National Accord to intensify its efforts to ensure that those responsible for war crimes and other serious violations of international human rights law are brought to justice. We encourage the Libyan authorities to fully cooperate with the International Criminal Court, in accordance with resolution 1970 (2011), to help bring about justice and accountability under international law for the crimes committed in Libya. In conclusion, let me express my gratitude to the Special Representative of the Secretary-General, Mr. Ghassan Salamé, and to the staff of the United Nations system in Libya for their dedication to and support for a peaceful end to the transition in Libya.

We would like first to add our voice in thanking you, Mr. President, for having convened this meeting today; Special Representative of the Secretary-General Ghassan Salamé for his comprehensive briefing to the Council; and the representative of Germany, as Chair of the Security Council Committee established pursuant to resolution 1970 (2011), concerning Libya. This briefing is timely given the discussions that the Council has been holding this week on sanctions on Mali and the Sudan, wherein there has been recognition of the implications of the Libyan fiasco throughout the region. The reason that the bloody Libyan crisis still haunts the Council, as others had predicted, is that although our organization, the African Union (AU), had devised a continentally agreed road map to deal with the bloody Libyan crisis, it was not allowed to roll it out until the very end. This fiasco and the many that followed should remind our partners from outside the African continent that Africans are best placed to understand their problems and the solutions thereto. Africans must be allowed to provide solutions to African problems. Partners will be invited only if need be. I would like to focus my intervention on the political process and the humanitarian situation in Libya. My delegation supports and encourages the efforts of Mr. Salamé, the Special Representative of the Secretary-General, to work with all Libyan parties to reach an acceptable and lasting political solution. We welcome the efforts made by the Special Representative of the Secretary-General in engaging with all relevant stakeholders in support of the implementation of the United Nations action plan and look forward to the convening of the national conference in order to move beyond the political transition phase and fully unite the country. As a member of the AU High-Level Committee on Libya, South Africa will continue to support the United Nations and the African Union in their common cause of jointly coordinating activities that will contribute to a peaceful resolution of the Libyan crisis. We wish to recall that at its 31st Summit, held in Nouakchott in July 2018, the African Union Assembly reiterated its “deep concern over the persistent security situation in Libya, which continues to prolong the suffering of the Libyan people”. The Chair of the AU High-Level Committee and the AU Commission Chair have reaffirmed their common desire to assist all stakeholders in overcoming the serious crisis facing Libya. In this regard, they have agreed to relaunch preparations for the national reconciliation conference with all relevant stakeholders, as provided for in the road map adopted by the Committee. On the humanitarian front, my delegation is concerned about the deteriorating humanitarian situation, especially as some humanitarian actors have recently faced challenges restricting their access to parts of the country. We condemn the loss of civilian lives during the violence in Tripoli and support the Secretary- General’s call for all commitments made under the September 2018 ceasefire agreement to be adhered to in order to maintain the calm and avoid further violence in the capital and elsewhere. We also call on all parties to fully respect international humanitarian law and to ensure that all possible measures are put in place to avoid further conflict. We urge all parties to work constructively on a dialogue for a mutually acceptable negotiated agreement. As the Council, we must do all we can to assist and support all stakeholders in moving this process forward. Lastly, my delegation welcomes the work of the Women’s Empowerment and Support Unit of the Presidency Council aimed at advancing gender equality and the full participation of women in the Libyan political and economic spheres. Including women in the political dialogue is essential to ensuring that all sectors of Libyan society are included in the process of charting their own futures, in a spirit of dedication to peace and security for Libya. Through our own struggle for liberation, we South Africans know first-hand the importance of incorporating women in the peace process and the benefits that are derived from including the whole population.

First of all, I should like to thank Mr. Salamé, Special Representative of the Secretary-General for Libya and Head of the United Nations Support Mission in Libya (UNSMIL), for his excellent briefing. Once again, I underline the full support of my delegation for the way ahead that he has outlined. I would like to focus my intervention on three priorities for action. The first is the national conference as a centrepiece of the action plan. Our first political priority must be the national conference. It provides an opportunity for Libyans to unblock the political process and make it truly inclusive. It also represents an opportunity to pave the way for unified institutions and elections based on national consensus. Unfortunately, the current stalemate has many beneficiaries. As the Special Representative said, we should expect attempts to spoil the process from many sides. Therefore, the international community as a whole must stand behind the Special Representative and his suggested way ahead. Germany remains fully supportive of his work. If necessary, we need to be ready to put pressure on those who try to derail the process. That may include targeted sanctions, as the Council has agreed previously. The unity of the international community, and of the Council in particular, remains crucial. We owe such unity to the much-suffering Libyan people, whose patience is running thin. Secondly, institution-building efforts are necessary conditions for stabilization. The political process does not happen in a vacuum, and it cannot deliver in a vacuum. It simultaneously requires institution-building efforts as a complementary second priority. In that regard, initiatives like audits, the Joint Operations Centre and police training are essential. We must become better at implementing such measures swiftly, consistently and jointly in the multilateral framework. UNSMIL should be in the lead and initiate and coordinate specific multilateral support efforts for Libyan institutions. Germany stands ready to give substantial support and commends what has already been achieved, for example, by the Stabilization Facility for Libya. I would also like to thank the Special Representative for his kind words on the German Bundesbank experts who are currently training Libyan staff at the Central Bank. My third point touches on the urgency of economic reform to mitigate tensions. Our third priority must be economic reform. We call on Libyan actors to implement economic reforms without delay, notably on exchange rates and subsidies. The current system favours those who do not work for the benefit of the Libyan population. We must therefore strive to change that system. That includes the fight against such criminal practices as fuel smuggling and currency fraud. In general, more transparency is needed to mitigate tensions and create a more stable economic environment, with better distribution of wealth. The Special Representative underlined that the list of remaining challenges in Libya remains long. In my concluding remarks I will list two or three of them. First of all, the proper representation of women, as many speakers before me mentioned, is of absolutely crucial importance to us. Women have to be included, not least in the national conference but also in all other processes that lead to democratic transition, reconciliation and the building of national institutions. Secondly, illicit weapon-streams from Libya have contributed to the destabilization of large parts of the Sahel and West Africa. We need to develop innovative approaches to involve national actors in Libya in introducing measures for effective small arms control. Special Representative Salamé emphasized the importance of respecting human rights and international humanitarian law. Germany remains concerned about human rights violations and abuses. Germany is especially worried by the situation in detention centres in Libya, as recently reported by a joint investigation by UNSMIL and the United Nations Human Rights Office. Thousands of migrants are systematically subjected to starvation, beatings, burned with hot objects or subjected to other forms of ill treatment. That has to be addressed and changed. Lastly, we very much welcome that UNSMIL was mandated to assist in the protection of women and girls from sexual and gender-based violence under the renewed mandate of UNSMIL from September 2018. We explicitly welcome the recent inclusion of gender-based violence crimes as a listing criterion in the sanctions regime, as well as the listing of six individuals for their involvement in human trafficking.

Like others, I would like to thank you, Mr. President, for convening this important meeting today. I would also like to thank Mr. Ghassan Salamé, Special Representative of the Secretary-General for Libya and Head of the United Nations Support Mission in Libya (UNSMIL), for his briefing. We commend him and the UNSMIL team for their tireless efforts to help enable peace, stability and humanitarian assistance in Libya. I also would like to thank Mr. Juergen Schulz for the periodic reporting on the Security Council Committee established pursuant to resolution 1970, (2011) concerning Libya. We wish him well in the conduct of his duties. Libya — a beautiful mosaic with rich traditions from Berber, African, Turkish, Arab and many other cultures — with its proud people, has unfortunately suffered much. Indonesia is deeply concerned by the condition of our Libyan brothers and sisters. Insecurity, fractured politics, violence and terrorism have taken too heavy a toll. Much has to be done but, learning from the past and fully embracing the Libyan Political Agreement, with a collective vision for peace and democracy, we believe success is very much possible. All national State and non-State actors, as well as regional and international actors, should direct their energies to that end. As the United Nations and others engage, Indonesia additionally underlines the following points. First, national reconciliation must be prioritized. Difficulties for the whole country will only increase if the centres of power based in Tripoli and the east work at cross purposes. Having one national authoritative Government with a united army, security agencies and financial and economic institutions is crucial to stabilizing the country and preparing it for a democratic electoral process. All parties should intensify efforts and discard their narrow interests for the sake of the whole people of Libya. The key phrase here, once again, is national reconciliation. In that regard, we welcome the unity of the international community in support of the Palermo meeting, in particular in supporting the United Nations action plan. The holding of the national conference under auspices of the United Nations early this year will hopefully provide a good opportunity for the various Libyan political groups to set out their ideas and reinvigorate efforts on how the Libyan Political Agreement can best advance the political process towards free and fair national elections. Indonesia once again calls on all national and relevant external partners to fully play their part to help ensure that the United Nations action plan advances smoothly. Secondly, security needs to improve. The duality of power centres, coupled with fight over oil and other resources, has exacerbated the situation. Non-State armed groups have particularly thrived. While no effort should be spared by the Government of National Accord, all political groups and militias should also play a positive role to enable the Government to provide security for common Libyans, who have already gone through so much. The adverse security situation, with the presence of militias and terrorists, including the Islamic State in Iraq and the Levant, will remain a serious challenge. We condemn any and all acts of terrorism. Clashes between armed groups based in Tripoli and adjoining areas in August 2018 also added to the concern. We concur with the few on the need for a holistic and comprehensive security strategy in support of restoring security in the whole country. We applaud the hard work by UNSMIL with regard to security and protection and to broker a ceasefire. We must also fully support UNSMIL efforts and take concerted action. Thirdly, Indonesia emphasizes development along with human rights, transitional justice and the rule of law. Those are important elements to bring Libya to normalcy. While acknowledging the vital role of various United Nations agencies and other regional and international entities, we call for providing Libya with greater assistance in capacity-building in those and other priority fields. We must also prioritize our actions to help young people and women. Listening to their voices and involving them in national decision-making would further engage them in building and abiding by a collective national vision for peace and progress. An improvement of their economic and social condition is essential to ensuring a better quality of life for them, including access to basic needs. Economic reform must be linked to political and security reform. In conclusion, the Council must bring its full weight to bear on the various national and external actors to ensure that the conflict in Libya is resolved and that peace and security return to the country. Libya, too, can and must prosper within a democracy, without negative external interference and in full accordance with the wishes of its people. At the end of the day, Libya shall be the master of its own destiny.

I thank Special Representative Salamé for his briefing and his continuing efforts, and those of his team, in a very challenging environment. As the representative of the United Kingdom noted and every subsequent speaker suggested, the status quo in Libya is not sustainable. Terrorists continue to probe for opportunities to regroup, as we saw last month in the heinous attack of the Islamic State in Iraq and the Shams against the Ministry for Foreign Affairs in Tripoli. Disruptions to petroleum production in the south are hurting all Libyans. Armed groups continue to jockey for influence and patronage. In that context, we strongly support Special Representative Salamé and the recalibrated United Nations action plan he presented to the Security Council on 8 November (see S/PV.8394), including his calls for a Libyan-led national conference to be held in early 2019 and the subsequent electoral process to begin this spring. We welcome the Special Representative’s briefing today on his recent consultations with Libyan leaders, his travel to the south and his current plans for the conference. We urge all Libyans to seize this opportunity to break the political deadlock in the country. The United States stands ready to assist the United Nations Support Mission in Libya (UNSMIL) however we can. As United Nations mediation advances, some armed factions, fearful of genuine and inclusive progress, have attempted to escalate tensions. There can be no military solution to the crisis in Libya. The United States will strongly oppose all attempts to circumvent the political process through violence. While the political process should move quickly, artificial deadlines will complicate efforts. The United States commends Libyan Prime Minister Serraj and other Libyan leaders for their continued attention to the economic dimensions of the conflict. At Libyan invitation, the United States hosted Libyan leaders in Tunis last week for the ninth iteration of the Libyan economic dialogue. We encourage the Government of National Accord to accelerate the implementation of the necessary monetary and subsidy reforms to stabilize the Libyan economy and urge it to redouble its commitment to fiscal transparency. Such efforts will enable a much- needed conversation about the equitable distribution of the country’s wealth. As the Security Council has repeatedly affirmed, Libya’s petroleum belongs to the Libyan people. We condemn illicit transactions in Libyan petroleum and reaffirm our support for the robust implementation of resolutions 2146 (2014), 2278 (2016), and 2362 (2017), which ban that practice. We also encourage Libyan authorities to continue their work with UNSMIL to strengthen security arrangements, particularly in Tripoli. We echo UNSMIL’s condemnation of recent violence in the Libyan capital and call on all groups to respect their commitments to the 4 September ceasefire and the ceasefire consolidation agreement reached on 9 September. We remind those who threaten Libya’s peace, security and stability that the Security Council is paying attention and can impose sanctions. The respective asset freezes and travel bans on militia leaders Ibrahim Jadhran in September and Salah Badi in November show how serious we were and remain. The Libyan people have suffered greatly from insecurity, lack of economic opportunity and political upheaval for too long. In partnership with Special Representative Salamé, we must seize the current opportunity to break the political impasse through participation in the national conference and empower all Libyans to move toward a more peaceful and prosperous future.

At the outset, I would like to express our profound solidarity with and heartfelt condolences to the Government and the people of Colombia, as well as the family members of the victims of the heinous attack yesterday, which we strongly condemn. We welcome the convening of this meeting and would like to thank Special Representative Ghassan Salamé and Ambassador Juergen Schulz, in his capacity as Chair of the Security Council Committee established pursuant to resolution 1970 (2011), concerning Libya, for their comprehensive presentations. Their briefings this morning described a situation that requires the urgent support of the international community and the attention of the Council. Peru is particularly concerned about developments in Libya. The rigidity of positions, the lack of real commitment on the part of certain actors and the persistence of violent incidents, such as the one this week, continue to fuel an unstable and unsustainable status quo. We deeply regret that the existing legislative bodies persist in delaying the adoption of the legislation necessary for the political transition process — all the more so since, as Mr. Salamé previously pointed out to the Council, 80 per cent of Libyans are in favour of free and fair elections. In the currrent fragile context, we welcome the developments promoted by the United Nations Support Mission in Libya (UNSMIL) to hold the national conference at the beginning of this year, which has contemplated, among other actions, the holding of 77 preparatory meetings. We expect tangible results, which, in the coming weeks, will contribute to fostering a climate of moderation, détente, dialogue and commitment to the peace of the country and its people. In that regard, we welcome the fact that the Palermo conference reaffirmed the commitment of the international community to the implementation of the United Nations action plan. Our focus on the political sphere does not negate the urgent need for concrete parallel progress in various areas. In the economic sphere in particular, we wish to highlight the recent reforms implemented by the Presidency Council aimed at alleviating the daily difficulties of civilians and diminishing the sources of income of the militias, which rely on the informal economy. We must also continue to pursue efforts to evaluate and unify the Central Bank of Libya and its sister branch in the east, which seek to ensure a more transparent and efficient management of the country’s considerable financial resources. In the humanitarian field, we are particularly concerned about the deplorable conditions faced by thousands of detainees, many of them women and children. We must urgently intensify efforts to review their files in order to remedy baseless and illegal cases, which must be complemented by putting an end to all acts of humiliation or torture. We also emphasize the importance of preventing the further escalation of violence in the capital and other parts of the country, and of establishing professional armed and police forces under a unified command. The international community, in particular the countries with the greatest resources and those committed to peace and stability, are called upon to make substantive contributions to restore the rule of law to Libya. We highlight the establishment and launching of the Women Support and Empowerment Unit within the Presidency Council, whose work, we hope, will be reflected in greater participation by women in the different entities and stages of the political process. Peru remains committed to achieving a political solution in Libya that does away with the high level of violence, ensures accountability for heinous crimes, favours regional stability and makes it possible to achieve sustainable peace. Before I conclude, I would like to take this opportunity on this, my last appearance in the Security Council, to thank all of the representatives of the Member States for their precious contributions and for being extraordinary colleagues and friends. I would also like to thank the Secretariat and the entire technical team for their invaluable support. Finally, I would like to particularly acknowledge and express my appreciation to the Permanent Representative of my country, Ambassador Gustavo Meza-Cuadra, and my dear colleagues at the Permanent Mission.

At the outset, I would like to thank Mr. Ghassan Salamé, Special Representative of the Secretary-General, for his detailed briefing on the most recent developments in Libya and, more broadly, for his exemplary commitment and that of his team. I also wish to thank Ambassador Juergen Schulz for his first briefing on the work of the Committee established pursuant to resolution 1970 (2011) concerning Libya since Germany took over its chairmanship from our Swedish partners. As the Special Representative explained to us, preparations for the national conference are ongoing. I would like to reiterate France’s full support to the Special Representative in the implementation of his revised action plan, which was collectively endorsed at the Palermo conference. The goal set in Palermo to convene the national conference as soon as possible so as to organize national elections by the spring must be met. We share the Special Representative’s position with regard to the importance of the early commitment of the key Libyan actors. To that end, as that deadline approaches, we must increase the pressure on those actors so that they commit to respecting the results and to implementing the recommendations. A broad political consensus is vital to making the long-awaited elections a driver of peace and not a new source of tension. We remain concerned about the security situation on the ground and the continuing terrorist threat, as reflected in the attack by Da’esh on the Ministry of Foreign Affairs in Tripoli, which we strongly condemned. Struggles for influence among militias also continue on the ground and the situation between the Ministry of the Interior and the militias in Tripoli is tense. The new escalation of violence seen in Tripoli in recent days makes the genuine implementation of security arrangements more urgent and more necessary than ever. Like my British counterpart and several other colleagues, we once again commend the efforts and the commitment of the Special Representative and his strong engagement on the security track. The security arrangements for Tripoli must be effectively implemented with our support. In that regard, the unification of the Libyan armed forces under the control of civilian authorities remains an urgent and top priority. In that context, it is also essential that the economic reforms continue. They should focus as a matter of priority on the devaluation of the Libyan dinar, reform of the subsidy system, streamling public employment, the collegial functioning of the Central Bank of Libya and its reunification and the transparent management of Libya’s resources to the benefit of all Libyans. The report of the Secretary-General (S/2019/19) reflects that some improvement in the economic situation has been noted by the Libyans, which is clearly very encouraging. In that context, I would like to reiterate once again that all those who threaten peace, security and stability in Libya or obstruct the political process are liable to international sanctions. That also holds true for those responsible for smuggling migrants and trafficking in human beings, as well as economic predation and the misappropriation of public funds, against which the Security Council must continue its action. Finally, as has been said, the humanitarian situation also remains very dire, in particular the plight of migrants and refugees, who are subject to human rights violations, as is also very clearly described in the Secretary-General’s report. France reiterates its calls on the Libyan authorities to do their utmost to ensure that migrants and refugees are treated with dignity. We encourage them to continue their cooperation with the Office of the United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees and the International Organization for Migration, to revise the law on refugees and to establish a refugee registration system in order to protect them. That is a priority in order to protect human rights and combat organized crime. The status quo in Libya is our common enemy, since it opens the way for all kinds of threats, predatory behaviour and trafficking. There is therefore an urgent need to make progress towards a political settlement. It is crucial to maintain our full support for the efforts of the United Nations Support Mission in Libya and the Special Representative to break the institutional deadlock and to advance the transition in Libya. In follow-up to the Paris conference, the Palermo conference reaffirmed the unity of the international community in support of the directions proposed by the Special Representative. Only an integrated strategy that addresses political, economic and security issues as well as elections, with a clear and ambitious timetable, can anchor stability. Upholding the commitments made by the Libyan actors is therefore essential in order to emerge from the status quo. It is vital that we support all those efforts. Rest assured of France’s determination to that end.

Allow me first to thank Mr. Ghassan Salamé, Special Representative of the Secretary-General, for his briefing. I would like to particularly commend his efforts, as well as those of the entire staff of the United Nations Support Mission in Libya (UNSMIL), who work in a particularly challenging environment. I also thank Ambassador Schulz for his briefing as Chair of the Committee established pursuant to resolution 1970 (2011) concerning Libya. Belgium remains committed to the implementation of the amended United Nations action plan for Libya. As several speakers before me have said, in order to break with the status quo, progress is necessary on three tracks — political, security and economic. They are inseparable as part of an inclusive process, led by the Libyans themselves. We therefore support the work of the Special Representative and UNSMIL as a whole in their ongoing efforts to convene the national conference in the near future. Belgium calls on all Libyan actors to cooperate constructively with UNSMIL towards the holding and success of the national conference. The latter should adopt all the principles and commitments necessary to enable parliamentary elections to be held. There is no military solution to the conflict in Libya. Only a political solution can put an end to the violence and make it possible to rebuild strong institutions for the benefit of all Libyans, such as unified and professional defence and security forces under civilian control. The security situation in Tripoli remains fragile despite the ceasefire and the security arrangements agreed in September thanks to the efforts of the Mission. We call for strict compliance with those agreements and for the parties concerned to implement their commitments. In that regard, we condemn the recent fighting south of Tripoli. Regrettably, the terrorist threat in Libya continues. The absence of a political solution to the conflict can only encourage the re-emergence of terrorism and of Da’esh in particular. In addition, I would like to draw attention to the plight of children in Libya. Cases of the use of children by armed groups in Libya continue to be reported. Children have been deprived of their liberty by the parties to the conflict and used in prisoner exchanges. The United Nations has documented incidents that have affected displaced persons and migrants, including children, who have been denied freedom, raped or subjected to prostitution or other forms of sexual violence. It is essential that we protect children today to prevent new cycles of violence and conflict tomorrow. Responsibly and transparently managing the country’s significant sources of revenue, whether from oil or taxes, for the benefit of all Libyans is a major issue. Economic reforms, such as the elimination of fuel subsidies and devaluation, also warrant priority attention. We are encouraged by recently taken economic reform measures and call on the relevant bodies to continue along that path, especially with regard to their work in developing a coherent and responsible budget for 2019. In addition, Belgium supports UNSMIL in its work to coordinate the reunification efforts of organizations like the Central Bank of Libya and the National Oil Corporation. In conclusion, it is my hope that the integration of economic structures can pave the way for the reunification of political and security-related institutions.

China thanks Special Representative of the Secretary-General Salamé and Ambassador Schulz, in his capacity as Chair of the Security Council Committee established pursuant to resolution 1970 (2011), concerning Libya, for their briefings. China has been closely following the developments in Libya. We welcome the international meeting on Libya held in Palermo in November 2018. We condemn the December terrorist attack on Libya’s Foreign Ministry and express concern about the recent hostilities that targeted Tripoli once again. Libya continues to face a fragile security situation, rampant terrorist activity, large flows of refugees and migrants and many other challenges. As always, the international community should step up its support for Libya, help the country complete its transitional phase as soon as possible and restore national stability and effective governance. First, while adhering to the overarching aim of resolving the Libyan issue through political means, the international community should respect Libya’s sovereignty, independence and territorial integrity and the leadership of the Libyan people, while resolutely advancing a Libyan-owned and -led political process. All Libyan parties must strictly observe the ceasefire agreement, resolve differences through dialogue and negotiations by considering the interests of their country and people and continue to build mutual trust so as to reach a political solution that is acceptable to all sides. Secondly, in striving to create a favourable security environment to facilitate the political process, countries and regional organizations with influence need to urge the parties concerned to refrain from the use of force, achieve reconciliation through confidence-building measures, build a unified national security apparatus as soon as possible, achieve national unity and establish effective governance. The international community should intensify its efforts to combat terrorism and support the proactive role of countries of the region in combating terrorism and organized crime, among other things, and help the Libyan Government deal with the issue of migrants and refugees. Thirdly, with regard to strengthening the United Nations mediation role, China supports Special Representative of the Secretary-General Salamé as Head of the United Nations Support Mission in Libya to continue implementing the United Nations action plan, prepare for the holding of the national conference, support Libya’s efforts in drafting its constitution, amend the Libyan Political Agreement and properly hold the presidential and parliamentary elections, among other tasks. We call on the Libya’s neighbours, the African Union, the League of Arab States, the European Union and all other relevant parties to bolster coordination and collaboration with the United Nations in a joint effort to facilitate the implementation of the United Nations action plan. Fourthly, with regard to properly addressing the issue of sanctions, which are not an end of and in themselves but a means, should always serve the political settlement of pertinent issues. As sanctions against Libya continue to be enforced, caution should be exercised to avoid any negative impact on civilians or third countries. Sanctions should not jeopardize Libya’s overall national interests or compromise the everyday lives and humanitarian needs of its people. With regard to Libya’s concern about the continued devaluation and losses incurred by the freezing of its assets and other issues, the Sanctions Committee needs to expedite research on how to respond to Libya’s legitimate concerns appropriately. China supports any and all efforts to help stabilize the situation on the ground and promote a political settlement process for the Libyan question. We will continue to play a constructive role in completing Libya’s transition and restoring its security and stability.

I shall now make a statement in my capacity as the representative of the Dominican Republic. I 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 today as well as for the hard and commendable work that he and his team are doing on the ground. We also thank Ambassador Juergen Schulz, in his capacity as Chair of the Security Council Committee established pursuant to resolution 1970 (2011), concerning Libya, for his important briefing. At the outset, with regard to security, we must acknowledge the Mission’s positive results in negotiating the ceasefire in Tripoli, which had been the theatre of virulent clashes among armed groups and cost the lives of more than 120 people. We were pleased to learn that the armed groups that controlled a significant number of public facilities have withdrawn from them and are now under the control of the Libyan authorities. We believe that UNSMIL’s efforts, under the leadership of Mr. Salamé, have been key to reducing tensions in that city. We also commend the Government of National Accord for adopting the security plan for Greater Tripoli, which has strengthened the ceasefire and established a more stable environment. We hope that its implementation will be effective and sustainable for the benefit of the Libyan people. The situation in other parts of the country, however, is in stark contrast to that of the capital. The Dominican Republic notes with concern the high level of insecurity prevailing in the southern and western parts of the country, in which armed confrontations, financially motivated kidnappings, vandalism, human trafficking, rape, murder and terrorist attacks, among other things, have become commonplace. Illicit arms trafficking is facilitating those crimes and exacerbating the conflict, while illustrating the fragile situation in which Libya finds itself. It is therefore urgent to strengthen and unify security institutions, whereby the armed forces and police personnel coordinate their activities and work under the guiding principle of ensuring the well- being of all, not of the individual. Concerning the political situation, we underscore UNSMIL’s good offices in convening the national conference in early 2019 to realize the implementation of the United Nations plan of action, which will be Libyan- led and -owned. We also welcome the implementation of the consultative phase of the national conference process, which took place from April to June 2018 and saw the participation of thousands of Libyans. The conference could serve as the tool for finding a way out of the political impasse that has dominated the country. Its outcome must serve as a reference point for an electoral process underpinned by coherent and clear ideas identifying the needs of the people both in terms of the electoral process and the future. We commend the holding of the international meeting on Libya in Palermo in November 2018. We highlight the participation of Libyan representatives, which demonstrates that there is a clear intention to make changes for the sake of country’s peace and security. For that reason, we call on Libyan political actors to fulfil their commitment by enacting the necessary legislation for the holding of presidential and parliamentary elections, since the restructuring of the executive branch and the unification of State institutions are unavoidable. Moreover, we hope that consensus will be reached on the validity of the referendum law on the constitutional proposal issued on 26 November. There are a number of different interests among various parties in maintaining the status quo, but that has only served to plunge the nation into division, chaos and imbalance. It is important to listen to the people, who are asking to live in a place where peace, development and stability reign, which State institutions are currently unable to provide. We hope that the political process will be fair and inclusive, with women playing a significant role. In that context, we applaud the decision of the Presidency Council to establish the Women’s Support and Empowerment Unit on 24 October 2018. We also welcome resolution 2441 (2018), which includes sexual and gender-based violence as a listing criterion for the Committee’s Panel of Experts. Sexual and gender-based violence is an issue of increasing concern, especially in conflict zones, and it requires the attention and concrete action of the international community, such as by making sexual violence a criterion for imposing sanctions. Finally, we wish to underscore the need to find a solution to the problems in Libya. We call on the international community to support the Libyan authorities in the process of strengthening structures to respond to the population. That support should also extend to holding transparent, fair and inclusive elections. The institutions must be functional in order to guarantee the security that Libyans have desired for decades. I now resume my functions as President of the Council. I give the floor to the representative of Libya.

At the outset, I would like to congratulate you, Mr. President, on assuming the presidency of the Council for this month and to wish you every success. I also thank the Secretary-General for his report (S/2019/19) on the United Nations Support Mission in Libya (UNSMIL). I thank, as well, Mr. Ghassan Salamé, Special Representative of the Secretary-General for Libya, for his briefing on the activities of UNSMIL and the most recent developments in my country. I would also like to congratulate Ambassador Juergen Schulz on assuming the Chair of the Committee established pursuant to Security Council resolution 1970 (2011), concerning Libya, and to thank him for his briefing on the Committee’s activities. The Libyan people hope that the first half of this year will bring about positive developments leading to achieving security in the country and fulfilling their aspirations to establish a democratic, civil State based on the rule of law. My country’s Government hopes that the efforts of Mr. Salamé will be successful in establishing a unified framework based on the consensus of all Libyans without exception by organizing an inclusive national conference, which we hope will bring the crisis in Libya to an end. At the same time, we stress the need for all parties to respect the outcomes of the conference, especially the prominent political parties in Libya. We also stress the need to commit in writing to implementing any agreement while referring all cases of non-compliance to the Security Council. We also hope that the Council will be able to put an end to any negative foreign interference in Libya, which has contributed to prolonging the Libyan crisis, by influencing certain parties in the country, thereby preventing Libyans from reaching the necessary solutions. Terrorist organizations operating in Libya are a threat to the country and the world. On 25 December 2018, terrorists launched an attack on the Foreign Ministry in Tripoli that resulted in a number of deaths, injuries and the destruction of one of the buildings of the Ministry. Those barbaric and cowardly terrorist groups wreak havoc everywhere, regardless of human losses, while flouting all human, religious and moral values. In order to combat those groups, the international community must support Libya, including by providing intelligence support and providing Libyan security agencies with the needed military equipment to eliminate that scourge. Libyans have fended off that scourge on numerous occasions and sacrificed thousands of martyrs. The battles fought against those terrorist organizations in the cities of Sirte, Benghazi and other Libyan cities prove that Libyans, despite their differences, agree on the need to combat those organizations, which threaten everyone and are completely rejected by Libyan society. Security arrangements in Tripoli and across Libya are urgently needed to ensure stability in the country. Without those arrangements, we will not be able to stabilize the work of State institutions and rid them of the pressures exerted by armed groups. The armed groups have acted in a way that prevented State institutions from carrying out their tasks, as they have refused to follow the orders of officials from the Ministry of the Interior and other ministries. In that context, we commend the efforts of UNSMIL and the Special Representative of the Secretary-General to ensure the implementation of the security arrangements, despite the difficulties. My country’s delegation stresses the need to stand firmly against any party that might try to block those arrangements. The Security Council must also take all the necessary measures to support the security agencies in my country, including by easing the arms embargo imposed pursuant to Security Council resolution 1970 (2011). That would allow Libyan security institutions to acquire the necessary equipment to address the challenges facing our country, including the proliferation of crime, armed groups and terrorist groups. We hope that the Council will stand firmly against those countries that, illegally and in violation of Security Council resolutions, are supplying weapons to internal parties not affiliated with the Government of National Accord. We warn that such actions will exacerbate the situation in the country and undermine the efforts of Libyans and the United Nations to ensure stability in Libya. The issue of migration and the reports issued by certain United Nations bodies are source of concern for my Government. The reports refer to violations that migrants are subjected to on their way to Europe wherein Libya is considered a country of transit and not a country of destination. Those reports are often unfair and accuse Libyans of slavery and xenophobia. Some of those reports even misinterpret colloquial Libyan terms. We believe that there is a widespread campaign aimed at tarnishing the reputation of the Libyan people rather than to protect human rights. In that context, we do not deny that violations were committed against migrants who illegally entered Libyan territory. Such violations were committed by outlawed armed groups affiliated with transnational criminal groups that have taken advantage of a divided Libya and State institutions in order to perpetrate their crimes. However, we condemn and deny those crimes. In addition, we reject statements made against the Government of National Accord and the Libyan judiciary accusing them of failing to prevent such violations. The United Nations and the Council are well aware of the circumstances under which the Libyan State institutions work, and of Libya’s tireless efforts to ensure the resumption of State institutions in a consensual manner so as to avoid further conflict and settle disputes among Libyans. We are also dismayed about the campaign launched by certain reports against the Libyan coast guard, which has greatly contributed to saving many migrants, as the European Union can attest. We seek to restructure the Libyan coast guard, while providing it with the necessary equipment. That is why we have submitted several requests to the Sanctions Committee established pursuant to Security Council resolution 1970 (2011) in order to acquire the necessary equipment for the coast guard so as to allow it fully to assume its responsibilities towards addressing a phenomenon that we understand to be rooted in developmental reasons in the countries of origin. But we must also take into consideration their negative and destructive effects on countries like Libya, especially in the current circumstances that we are living. We would like to recall that many of those who entered Libya illegally have been involved in terrorist and criminal activities on Libyan territory. Regrettably, some parties in Libya have also used foreign fighters, who have become mercenaries fighting for money and committing acts of looting, vandalism and kidnapping, while threatening stability in southern Libya as well as throughout the country. Pertaining to the issue of migration and the statement made by the representative of Equatorial Guinea with respect to providing international protection for migrants, we made our position clear. We have condemned the migration issue and reiterate that it requires a completely different approach than the current one. The issue of illegal migrants is used as a political tool and is being exploited by international gangs in countries of origin, transit and destination. The issue should therefore be addressed in coordination with the Libyan Government. In conclusion, my country’s delegation stresses the importance of Council unity to achieve the fundamental objective entrusted to it by the Charter of the United Nations, that is, to maintain international peace and security. As the Council is aware, the Libyan crisis has been an important item on its agenda since 2011. We hope that the Council will step up efforts to reach the necessary solutions to the crisis in Libya by adopting practical and decisive initiatives, while taking into consideration national ownership and State sovereignty in Libya, as well as putting an end to the actions of all who stand against stability in Libya and obstruct the ambitions of its people towards achieving progress and prosperity.

There are no more names inscribed on the list of speakers. Before adjourning the meeting, on behalf of the members of the Council, allow me to bid farewell to Ambassador Francisco Tenya of Peru, congratulate him on his excellent work and wish him every success in his new duties.