S/PV.9025 Security Council

The Security Council will now begin its consideration of the item on its agenda. Members of the Council have before them document S/2022/356, which contains the text of a draft resolution submitted by the United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland. The Council is ready to proceed to the vote on the draft resolution before it. I shall put the draft resolution to the vote now.

The draft resolution received 15 votes in favour. The draft resolution has been adopted unanimously as resolution 2629 (2022). I shall now give the floor to those members of the Council who wish to make statements after the voting.

The United Arab Emirates welcomes the adoption of resolution 2629 (2022) to extend the mandate of the United Nations Support Mission in Libya (UNSMIL). We thank the United Kingdom, as the penholder, for its efforts in facilitating the negotiations that led to the adoption of the resolution, which reaffirms the Security Council’s support for a Libyan- led and Libyan-owned comprehensive political process. We look forward to the Mission continuing to implement its mandate effectively in the light of the Council’s endorsement of the recommendations of the strategic review, including returning the Mission to its previous configuration. We also encourage UNSMIL to intensify its efforts to advance the political process as well as the security and economic tracks. We hope that the Council will be able to adopt an integrated and substantive draft resolution that responds to the future course of events in Libya. We underscore the importance of the Council continuing to speak with one voice to support Libya in achieving the aspirations of its people.

First, I would like to express our appreciation to the United Kingdom for its determined efforts as penholder on this mandate renewal. Ireland voted in favour of resolution 2629 (2022) today because we believe that an effective United Nations Support Mission in Libya (UNSMIL) is vital to support the Libyan people and their legitimate expectations of a democratic and peaceful future. With the adoption of this resolution, the Security Council has finally come to agreement on the long-overdue implementation of the recommendations of the Mission’s strategic review. We believe that will equip UNSMIL to achieve optimum impact on the ground, including through the reform of the Mission’s leadership structure. We look forward to the swift appointment of a Special Representative of the Secretary-General. The sustained support from the United Nations and the Security Council is also essential to overcome the current political impasse and to help Libyan stakeholders forge agreement on the way forward and on the holding of elections as soon as possible. The importance of free, fair and inclusive elections is emphasised in this text, as is the need for adherence to the October 2020 ceasefire agreement. Despite our positive vote today, we sincerely regret that, owing to the objection and intransigence of one Council member, we were not to secure consensus on a substantive one-year mandate renewal, as originally proposed by the penholder. Instead, we have unfortunately defaulted to another short, three-month renewal. This is the fourth time we have resorted to a brief and essentially technical rollover on UNSMIL since we joined the Council. We firmly believe that a longer renewal would provide much-needed stability and predictability to the Mission at a critical and sensitive juncture in Libya’s transition. Furthermore, there are many crucial elements now absent from this text, including on human rights, the role of women and the humanitarian situation, to name but a few. We wish to reiterate that the most recent substantive resolution renewing UNSMIL’s mandate, resolution 2542 (2020), of September 2020, remains the guiding framework when it comes to the Mission’s role on the ground.

Albania welcomes the mandate renewal of United Nations Support Mission in Libya (UNSMIL), which we supported. I would like to thank you, Madam President, and the United Kingdom team, the penholder, for its relentless work and commend it for the outcome. Albania further welcomes the focus of resolution 2629 (2022) on the implementation of the independent strategic review and strongly encourages its implementation. We commend the mediation efforts of the Special Adviser of the Secretary-General, Ms. Stephanie Williams, in paving the way towards national elections through a sustainable, Libyan-led political process under the auspices of the United Nations. We hope that the May talks in Cairo will have positive results in advancing the aspiration of the Libyan people towards national elections, held on a constitutional basis, and we expect the parties to engage in negotiations in good faith. Albania and others in the Council have loudly voiced their support for a substantive mandate renewal of UNSMIL. Regrettably, that did not happen. We are disappointed that one Council member imposed a technical rollover despite the sincere engagement and efforts of other Council members. We very much hope that all members of the Council will engage constructively in guaranteeing the Mission predictable funding and resources, as well as a robust mandate to operate on the ground in future.

I thank the members of the Security Council for the flexibility shown throughout the negotiations to ensure that the United Nations Support Mission in Libya (UNSMIL) has a robust mandate equipped to meet the challenges of the peace process and the expectations placed in the Council by the Libyan people. The implementation of the recommendations of the independent strategic review is long overdue. UNSMIL needs an adequate structure, with its leadership based in Tripoli and in close contact with relevant Libyan political actors, in order to carry out its functions. By incorporating the recommendations into the mandate, the Council provides a strong response to the political crisis in Libya, which once again faces the dangers of destabilization. We hope that resolution 2629 (2022) will pave the way for the appointment of a new Special Representative of the Secretary-General without further delay. The appointment of new UNSMIL leadership will confirm to the Libyan political forces that the Council is serious about its commitment to support the national reconciliation process. We regret that, once again, there was no consensus among members to approve a longer term for UNSMIL’s mandate. Brazil understands that the Mission would benefit from a period of one year, which would ensure greater predictability and facilitate the selection of the Special Representative. We hope that, in July, when the Council revisits the matter, we will finally be able to overcome our differences and do what is expected of us in the name of peace, stability and prosperity for all Libyans.

Mexico voted in favour of resolution 2629 (2022) because of the importance of the continuity of the work of the United Nations Support Mission in Libya (UNSMIL) in the face of the precarious situation of the Libyan political process. While the recommendations of the independent strategic review have been incorporated into the new mandate, particularly with regard to the reconfiguration of the Mission’s leadership, we believe that a three-month extension, in practice and in all lights, is insufficient to advance towards its full implementation. The text could have included very important elements in order to promote Libya’s stabilization, specifically with regard to combating the illegal flow of arms, coordinating with the countries of the region and making reference to the national reconciliation process, to name but a few. We also take this opportunity to recall the importance of appointing, as soon as possible, a Special Representative to assume the leadership of UNSMIL and create the conditions for a substantial renewal of the Mission’s mandate. Finally, we call on all members of the Council and the international community, in general, to promote an agreement between the Libyan political actors that will lead to free, just and inclusive elections, with the full participation of women and youth.

Norway would like to thank the penholder for its efforts to get agreement on a substantial renewal of the mandate of United Nations Support Mission in Libya (UNSMIL). We appreciate that resolution 2629 (2022)requests UNSMIL to implement the recommendations from the strategic review and reaffirms the Council’s support for elections. However, we regret that the Council was not able to agree on a full, substantial resolution with a one-year renewal. Despite the good faith efforts of 14 Council members, one member chose to block such an outcome. This is the third time the Council has negotiated a text that ultimately was not put forward. We supported the earlier draft texts, which reflected relevant developments in Libya and contained important language on issues like regional cooperation, national reconciliation and women’s participation in the political process. The Council’s failure to agree on a full, substantial mandate not only sends an unfortunate signal to the Libyan people, but also to the whole region. UNSMIL plays a pivotal role in supporting Libya’s political process and contributes to stability in Libya, including in cooperation with the African Union and regional security cooperation mechanisms. Such stability is essential for the Libyan people, neighbouring countries and the whole African continent. Nevertheless, our foremost priority is to secure a continuation of UNSMIL’s mandate. And we hope that all 15 Council members will contribute constructively when the mandate comes up for renewal again in July.

Gabon voted in favour of the technical rollover of the mandate of the United Nations Support Mission in Libya (UNSMIL). We did not want to break with consensus. Nevertheless, we note that the Council members once again were unable to overcome their differences in the interests of the Libyan people. We therefore must emphasize and deplore that this is the third technical rollover. At a key moment in Libya’s history, this lack of consensus is regrettable and impedes a more consistent and predictable UNSMIL mandate. It is evident that, on the political front, the country is once again at risk of implosion, with two Governments. The prospect of organizing elections as soon as possible, as we would like to see, will not address the root causes of that division. The Libyan people must engage in dialogue, and a national reconciliation process is critical. Restoring an environment of trust among all stakeholders, in our view, is also essential for the country’s stability. The international community must support that process by enhancing UNSMIL’s mandate. We call for greater involvement by Africans in the resolution of African crises. Above all, it is Africa that is affected by the crises on its continent. We call for the appointment as soon as possible of a Special Representative of the Secretary-General for the United Nations Support Mission in Libya, whom we hope will be an African. That is vital.

The Russian Federation supported resolution 2629 (2022), prepared by the United Kingdom, on extending the mandate of the United Nations Support Mission in Libya (UNSMIL). Nonetheless, we have many questions about the Mission’s work, which we raised very actively during negotiations on the draft. We are convinced that keeping the current configuration of the United Nations mediation efforts in Libya at this very important  — literally critical — juncture is unacceptable. In that regard, we stressed the need to ensure that the text sends a very clear and unequivocal signal about the need to without delay make a decision about selecting a new leader for the United Nations team in Libya. We expect that the Secretary-General will discharge the duties entrusted to him to appoint a Special Representative. In order to speed that process along, we have been consistently speaking out to extend the Mission for three months only, given that for six months now UNSMIL, because of the absence of the Special Representative, has not been able to fully participate in accompanying the political process in Libya. A normal organization of United Nations work on the issue of Libya there is important not just for Russia but, first and foremost, for Libya itself. It is important not to forget that we need to uphold the high standards of the United Nations, primarily impartiality, which, unfortunately, is not something that a number of our colleagues are interested in. If in the near future we anyone deliberately hindering, owing to opportunistic interests, the appointment of a Special Representative, we will draw very serious conclusions about the future of UNSMIL. We also deplore the fact that some members of the Security Council are not prepared to accept a scenario wherein UNSMIL will be headed by someone from the African continent. We think that that is not a constructive approach. It is also a display of neocolonialism. It is important to also remember that in 2011 the African Union spoke out in favour of a peaceful solution to the Libyan crisis, but the Western countries sidelined the Africans and began destroying Libyan statehood, the consequences of which actions we continue to experience to this day.

We wish to thank the United Kingdom for its hard work during the negotiations on resolution 2629 (2022). Ghana voted in favour of the resolution in order to move the process in Libya forward and for consensus-building. It is, however, regrettable that the resolution did not reflect issues related to disarmament, demobilization and reintegration, as well as reconciliation and a substantive renewal of the mandate of the United Nations Support Mission in Libya. During the negotiations, the three African countries members of the Security Council called for a substantive renewal of the mandate to allow for predictability and proper planning to meet the myriad of challenges confronting the Libyan people. We wish to state that reconciliation would provide the people of Libya the opportunity to heal their wounds and forge ahead in unison towards the peaceful development of Libya.

Kenya considers it crucially important that the United Nations provide full support to Libya’s peace process in a dedicated and on-the-ground manner. That is why we voted to renew the mandate of the United Nations Support Mission in Libya (UNSMIL) this morning. We have seen remarkable positive developments in the peace process over the past two years, an indication of the commitment and desire of the people of Libya to transition their country to a new era of peace and stability. That commitment requires a robust and substantive United Nations Mission mandate that is able to play an effective, supportive role in that regard. But it is deeply regrettable that after three consecutive technical rollovers of the mandate of UNSMIL, the Council has once again failed to agree on a sufficiently substantive mandate, ending up with what is, for all intents and purposes, a fourth technical rollover. We must be reminded that the mandate of UNSMIL serves the interests of the people of Libya. It is unfortunate that the Council is unable to structure United Nations support to meet those responsibilities in accordance with the purpose and principles of the Charter of the United Nations. Successful conflict resolution requires the prioritization and sequencing of activities within a broader comprehensive peace framework to achieve sustainable outcomes. We are persuaded of the need to mainstream a Libyan-led and -owned dialogue and reconciliation on all tracks and at all stages of the Libyan peace process, and the prevailing political impasse makes it more critical than ever before. On several occasions, the need for a national dialogue and reconciliation has been underscored in this Chamber by the representative of Libya and other briefers. The least that the Council should do is to listen and respond positively to the needs of the Member States affected. We are therefore disappointed that our expectation that the new UNSMIL mandate would provide for support for an inclusive and comprehensive national dialogue and reconciliation process did not materialize. We will continue to amplify the voice of the Libyan people by championing that need, among other important issues that most of us agree should be incorporated into the next resolution. Finally, we reaffirm our commitment to the peace process in Libya and continue to push for decisions that effectively respond to a truly Libyan-led and -owned peace process.

At present, the ceasefire in Libya is generally holding, with a notable increase in the uncertainty of the political process and related risks and challenges. It is imperative for the parties in Libya to strengthen dialogue and consultation and quickly reach consensus on the relevant arrangements for the political transition so as to put the political transition back on track. We hope that the Libyan parties will achieve substantive progress at the next round of meetings, to be held in Cairo in May. Under current circumstances, the mediation role of the United Nations Support Mission in Libya (UNSMIL) is even more important. The Council unanimously adopted resolution 2629 (2022) renewing its mandate. We hope that UNSMIL will continue to uphold the principle of Libyan ownership and leadership, redouble its efforts with the relevant States and regional organizations, and strengthen its mediation efforts so as to play a greater positive and constructive role in the realization of peace and stability in Libya. In addition to renewing UNSMIL’s mandate, the resolution cuts the reporting cycle of the Secretary- General to once a month. That can help the Council to better follow developments in Libya and respond to them. The resolution calls on the Secretary-General to quickly appoint a Special Representative of the Secretary-General for the Libyan issue. China hopes that the Secretary-General will soon nominate a candidate for the post, in particular a candidate from Africa, so as to fully leverage the political mediation role of UNSMIL.

I should like to thank you, Madam President, for the efforts that you and your team deployed in these negotiations, which made it possible for us to adopt resolution 2629 (2022) unanimously. By voting in favour of this text, France is reaffirming its full support to the United Nations Support Mission in Libya (UNSMIL) and its restructuring, in accordance with the recommendations of the United Nations strategic review, which the Security Council has now endorsed. That is an essential first step to give UNSMIL all the necessary tools to fully play its mediation role. The Secretary-General must now appoint a Special Representative without delay, as called for in the resolution we just adopted. An effective political mission, with a clear line of authority that reports to the Security Council, is necessary to enable Libya to overcome the many challenges it faces today. After the postponement of the presidential and parliamentary elections in December, it is urgent that Libya get back on track for the holding of elections in order to move forward on the path to peace, dialogue and reconciliation. The United Nations mediation must support that process, which also means that in the future the Security Council must renew a predictable, robust one-year mandate. It is also the Council’s responsibility to encourage Libyans to settle their differences so that elections can be held as quickly as possible.

The United States is disappointed that negotiations again failed to achieve the adoption of a substantive, year-long mandate that authorizes the United Nations Support Mission in Libya (UNSMIL) to continue its work in Libya with the foundation it needs to be successful. UNSMIL is an essential partner in Libya, particularly at this critical moment when United Nations-facilitated dialogue has begun to bring the political process back on track. A stripped-down resolution that does not provide guidance on several essential issues sends the wrong message to the Libyan people and risks allowing spoilers to cling to the status quo, or worse. We are particularly disappointed that the Russian delegation demanded the removal of several elements from resolution 2629 (2022) that would have provided UNSMIL the guidance and resources it needs on critical issues like reconciliation and security sector reform. Russia’s insistence on a mandate that lasts only three months, purportedly to facilitate the appointment of the Special Representative of the Secretary-General, will have the opposite effect. A short mandate duration severely complicates the United Nations ability to recruit a head of mission. It also creates uncertainty for the Libyan people and their leaders over the Security Council’s commitment to Libya. Finally, revisiting the mandate every few months stalls progress on UNSMIL’s long-term plans to develop sustainable solutions to the challenges in Libya. Let there be no mistake: the Security Council as a whole did not fail the Libyan people today. Fourteen Council members were supportive of a one-year, substantive mandate that strengthens UNSMIL’s ability to move Libya towards stability and an inclusive peace. I want to thank the United Kingdom for its role as the penholder and all Council members who negotiated in good faith, especially our three African members of the Security Council colleagues who pushed for critical language on reconciliation and security sector reform, to no avail. It is incumbent upon the Security Council to ensure that we incorporate the views of all Council members moving forward and not allow one member to hold the mandate hostage. The United States will continue its full support of United Nations efforts to establish a Libyan-led path to free and fair elections as soon as possible. That includes providing our full support for the initiative of the Special Adviser to the Secretary-General on Libya, Stephanie Williams, to broker an agreement on the constitutional framework for elections. We call on the delegations from the House of Representatives and the High State Council to work constructively towards that goal.

I shall now make a statement in my capacity as the representative of the United Kingdom. I welcome the adoption of resolution 2629 (2022), renewing the mandate of the United Nations Support Mission in Libya (UNSMIL). I particularly welcome the decision to implement the independent strategic review and look forward to the appointment of a Special Representative of the Secretary-General. The resolution also reaffirms the Council’s strong commitment for the United Nations efforts to help create a path towards free, fair and inclusive presidential and parliamentary elections. I reiterate the United Kingdom’s call on all stakeholders to engage constructively in the ongoing intra-Libyan consultations to reach an agreement on the constitutional and legal basis for elections. I would also like to thank the vast majority of Council members for their constructive engagement and flexibility throughout the negotiations. As penholder, we made significant efforts to achieve consensus on a resolution that would have provided UNSMIL with greater stability to implement its mandate over a longer period. Regrettably that was not possible. Russia has once again isolated itself. By not joining the consensus with the 14 other members of the Council, it has blocked a longer mandate for UNSMIL, as both the Libyans and the United Nations had requested. In the future, we call on Russia to meet its responsibilities as a member of the Security Council and join the consensus with the rest of the Council on a substantive UNSMIL mandate. I now resume my functions as President of the Council. There are no more names inscribed on the list of speakers.