S/PV.9549 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. Abdoulaye Bathily, Special Representative of the Secretary- General for Libya and Head of the United Nations Support Mission in Libya, to participate in this meeting. The Security Council will now begin its consideration of the item on its agenda. At this meeting, the Security Council will hear briefings by Mr. Bathily and by Mr. Yamazaki Kazuyuki, Permanent Representative of Japan, in his capacity as Chair of the Committee established pursuant to resolution 1970 (2011) concerning Libya. I now give the floor to Mr. Bathily. Mr. Bathily: In two days, Libya will mark the anniversary of the 17 February 2011 revolution. Thirteen years on, Libyans are still waiting to realize their aspirations for sustainable peace and democracy. Despite the finalization of the constitutional and legal framework for elections by the 6+6 joint committee of the House of Representatives and High State Council in 2023 and their subsequent adoption by the House of Representatives, a process that took more than 11 months, key Libyan institutional stakeholders appear unwilling to resolve the outstanding politically contested issues that would clear the path to the long- awaited elections in Libya. Since my last briefing, I continued my engagement with those major players, appealing to their wisdom and their sense of responsibility to their motherland. Thus far, none of them have made a decisive move from their initial position, with each continuing to articulate preconditions for their participation in the dialogue as a way to maintain the status quo, which, I must say, seems to suit them. In my most recent discussions with the Speaker of the House of Representatives, Mr. Agila Saleh, he reiterated that the main issue on the agenda should be the formation of a unified Government, as this would be the chief prerogative of the House of Representatives, as the sole legitimate authority on the matter, and that he would only participate if the two Governments are either included or excluded altogether. The President of the High Council of State, Mr. Mohammed Takala, maintains his rejection of the electoral laws as published by the House of Representatives, demanding to revert to the draft agreed upon by the 6+6 joint committee in Bouznika, Morocco. In his view, the discussion should focus on the revision of the electoral laws to re-establish what he called the “initial” version of the text. Prime Minister Dabiba insists that he will only step down after the holding of elections, meaning that the Government of National Unity will supervise the coming electoral process. The Libyan National Army Commander, General Khalifa Haftar, insists that both Governments be part of the talks or both be excluded. The President of the Presidential Council, Mr. Menfi, does not want to be seen as a party, but is prepared to act as facilitator to support my initiative. The way forward requires that all issues that prevent­ ed elections from taking place in 2021 be resolved through negotiations and a political settlement be­ tween the key institutional stakeholders. I therefore urge all Libyan institutional actors to engage in the dialogue without preconditions. Furthermore, the fears and concerns expressed by some of the key stakeholders need to be addressed, including a temporary mechanism for transparent management and equitable distribution of resources, safeguards to provide a level playing field for all candidates and guarantees that elections do not result in a winner-takes-all scenario to the detriment of the others. The envisaged political settlement must also include an iron-clad timeline of steps leading to polling day. The core objective of the United Nations Support Mission in Libya, as mandated by the Council, is to support Libyan actors in bringing about stability through a peaceful political settlement. I would therefore not support any initiative that could bring about conflict or trigger war, thereby leading to the loss of Libyan life. I have steadfastly expressed the readiness of the United Nations to consider suggestions and proposals that could lead to a solution based on a peaceful and inclusive settlement among the stakeholders. The Council and the international community have a critical role to play in pressing the Libyan parties to engage constructively in that process. Alignment and support from regional partners are particularly important. I therefore reiterate my call for a unified and coordinated approach by all members of the international community. Parallel initiatives can be useful only if they support the efforts of the United Nations, lest they be used by Libyan actors as a means to perpetuate the status quo. In my consultations with other segments of Libyan society, including with political parties, notables, security actors, civil society, cultural groups, women, youth and the business community from the east, south and west of Libya, I have heard their frustration at the status quo and the inability of their leaders to do what is needed to set the country on the path to sustainable peace and progress. In recent weeks, I met with different security actors from the east and west of the country, as well as from opposing sides of the security landscape in the western region. Their influence on the political landscape is evident. Their buy-in in the process is necessary for the holding of elections, as is their commitment to genuine disarmament, demobilization and reintegration and security sector reform dynamics. The continued east-west divide between national institutions will result, once again, in the absence of an approved national budget to guide public spending, perpetuating the lack of transparency in the use of public funding and the unequitable distribution of the country’s wealth. It also increases the vulnerability of the Libyan economy to internal and external disruptions. Libya’s southern region has long suffered from economic and political marginalization that must be remedied. Inclusive national mechanisms that address the socioeconomic needs of all in an equitable manner are critical. The High Financial Committee, established by the Presidential Council in July last year, held the promise of being one such mechanism. Regrettably, the decision by the Speaker of the House of Representatives to forbid its representatives from attending meetings means that it has not been able to conduct its business since 16 October 2023. Meanwhile, the Speaker of the House of Representatives established a new technical committee tasked with restructuring the general budget and addressing pressing issues related to the allocation of State funds. I continue to urge all relevant Libyan entities to work together to achieve the equitable, transparent and accountable management of Libya’s revenues and resources. While no violations of the ceasefire agreement were recorded during the reporting period, progress on implementing the outstanding provisions of the agreement, particularly on the withdrawal, continues to be impeded by the stalemate on the political track. However, in a positive development in early January, reports indicated the return of hundreds of Chadian mercenaries and foreign fighters from Libya to Chad, as part of the implementation of the Chadian peace agreement signed in Doha in August 2022. Despite that positive development, the overall security situation in southern Libya remains alarming, as the crises in the Sudan and the Sahel are unfolding. In Tripoli, rivalries between security actors to achieve territorial control over strategic areas of the capital, including where military bases and State institutions are located, including the Central Bank of Libya, continue to threaten the fragile security in the capital. Tensions between the so-called Deterrence Apparatus for Combating Organized Crime and Terrorism and the so-called Stability Support Apparatus and other aligned armed groups have been notably pronounced over the past few weeks. On 1 January, the High National Elections Commission announced plans to hold local elections in 97 municipalities across the country this year. That move was welcomed by citizens local to those cities and towns across the country. However, the Government of National Unity has yet to provide the budget for that very important process. I am also concerned that, in the first week of February, 11 High National Elections Commission field offices in areas under the administration of the House of Representatives-appointed Government were instructed to suspend their operations and close. That constitutes an unacceptable interference in the operations of a sovereign national institution, namely, the High National Elections Commission. I urge all authorities concerned to lift the ban on the activities of High National Elections Commission structures and further call on the Government of National Unity to release the budgetary allocation dedicated to the Commission to allow for the latter to expedite preparations for municipal elections. On 5 February, I attended a summit of the African Union High-Level Committee on Libya in Brazzaville to take stock of progress on the national reconciliation file under the chairpersonship of President Denis Sassou Nguesso. I commended the African Union, in close consultation with the Presidential Council, for their effort in the reconciliation file and underscored the need to support a rights-based approach to reconciliation, rooted in the principles of transitional justice, that includes all Libyans and does not take place at the expense of accountability. I also encouraged the African Union to deploy a dedicated team of experts to Libya, able to share the experience and lessons learned from pertinent reconciliation processes in Africa and elsewhere. The operationalization of such a team would help the national team conduct their efforts in a more efficient manner. I am concerned about a draft national reconciliation law that was discussed by the House of Representatives on 3 January. The draft law appears to bypass the Presidential Council by establishing a new mechanism for reconciliation. I am concerned that this new proposal, contrary to international best practices, was not drafted through inclusive consultations with civil society organizations and victims’ groups and does not include sufficient guarantees to preserve the fundamental rights to truth, justice, reparations and non-repetition. In my most recent briefing to the Security Council (see S/PV.9510), I highlighted that over the previous nine months, security actors had arbitrarily detained at least 60 individuals, including children, for their actual or perceived political affiliations. Those practices cast serious doubt on the willingness of some Libyan actors to support a transparent and inclusive political process. Those arbitrarily detained and political prisoners must be released. That will undoubtedly help with the political and reconciliation processes. The human rights and humanitarian situation of migrants, refugees and asylum seekers in Libya and their protection is of increasing concern. The United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees and the International Organization for Migration report significantly increased numbers of Sudanese refugees entering Libya in recent weeks. United Nations agencies continue to have limited access to Sudanese refugees at Libya’s border with the Sudan, particularly in Kufra and in official detention centres. I call on the Libyan authorities to ensure full and unhindered access to all persons in need of protection. I remain alarmed by the continued collective expulsions of migrants and refugees across the borders between Libya and neighbouring countries. I reiterate my call for the authorities of all countries concerned to end forced expulsions, which are violations of international law. I also reiterate my call for full access and independent investigations into all alleged violations and abuses in Libyan detention facilities, where the situation is particularly dire. I am encouraged that the African Union-European Union-United Nations Tripartite Taskforce on the Situation of Migrants and Refugees in Libya has reconvened to address urgent priorities to strengthen migration management in Libya. I welcome the Libya Storm and Flooding 2023: Rapid Damage and Needs Assessment report of the World Bank, United Nations and European Union, released on 24 January, in response to the catastrophic floods in eastern Libya on 10 and 11 September 2023. The report proposes elements for national planning to overcome the impacts of the disaster, underscoring the importance of close collaboration and coordination among national stakeholders, with the support of international partners, to advance a resilient, inclusive and sustainable reconstruction and recovery for affected communities. I call on all Libyan leaders to channel their collective resources and expertise towards rebuilding and putting the lives and livelihoods of the affected people first. In conclusion, I reiterate that progress on holding credible national elections is not possible without a political settlement among Libya’s main institutional stakeholders. I urge Libya’s leaders, once again, to put their self-interests aside and come to the negotiating table in good faith, ready to discuss all contested issues. Reluctance to do so calls into question their commitment not only to the elections, but to the unity and future of their country, for which they should be held accountable. To avoid Libya sliding into disintegration, as foreseen in numerous alarming signs, a political agreement is urgently needed among the major stakeholders in order to form a unified Government that will lead the country to elections. I call on their sense of moral duty to negotiate and reach a compromise to restore the dignity of their motherland.

I thank M. Bathily for his briefing. I now give the floor to Ambassador Yamazaki. Mr. Yamazaki: 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 pursuant to the same resolution. The report covers the period from 19 December 2023 to 15 February 2024, during which time the Committee met in informal consultations and conducted its work using the silence procedure, with the aim of facilitating the implementation of the sanctions measures. During the informal consultations held on 2 February, the Committee heard a briefing from the Panel of Experts on its work plan and priorities for the mandate under resolution 2701 (2023) and on its upcoming intended visit to Libya. That was followed by an exchange of views between Committee members and the Experts. The Committee received a letter from Libya containing responses on the Panel’s final report under the previous mandate, which it will examine once the relevant translation becomes available. During the informal consultations, a Committee member raised a question to me regarding the possibility of organizing a Committee visit, to which I expressed my openness, as the Chair, to discussing the matter with the Committee members. I would like to recall the intention of previous Chairs since 2018 to work towards organizing a visit of the Committee to all agreed areas of Libya, subject to logistical and security arrangements, as mentioned in the Committee’s previous annual reports. With regard to the assets freeze, no negative decision was taken by the Committee in relation to three notifications, invoking paragraph 19 (a) of resolution 1970 (2011) or paragraph 16 (a) (iv) of resolution 2009 (2011), submitted by Bahrain, Switzerland and the United Kingdom, respectively. The Committee also approved an exemption request, invoking paragraph 19 (b) of resolution 1970 (2011), submitted by Luxembourg, and responded to one notification invoking paragraph 21 of resolution 1970 (2011), submitted by Bahrain. The Committee received two letters from Libya concerning certain aspects of the assets freeze, one of which contained the short-term investment plan of the Libyan Investment Authority, in response to paragraph 15 of resolution 2701 (2023). Committee members will be considering responses to both letters. With regard to the travel ban, on 31 January the Committee granted the request by a listed individual, Ms. Safia Farkash Al-Barassi, received through the focal point for de-listing established pursuant to resolution 1730 (2006), and decided that Ms. Al-Barassi was no longer subject to the travel ban measure imposed pursuant to paragraph 15 of resolution 1970 (2011). Ms. Al-Barassi remains subject to the assets- freeze measure, and the Libya sanctions list was amended accordingly. The Committee received one implementation report from a Member State. It issued its annual report for 2023. In conclusion, I would like to reiterate the Committee’s commitment to contributing to the promotion of peace and stability in Libya.

I thank Ambassador Yamazaki for his briefing. I shall now give the floor to those members of the Council who wish to make statements. Dame Barbara Woodward (United Kingdom): I thank Special Representative of the Secretary-General Bathily and Ambassador Yamazaki Kazuyuki for their briefings today. We welcome the continued efforts of the Special Representative of the Secretary-General to convene representatives of key actors for a preparatory meeting, as a critical next step towards breaking the political impasse and delivering elections. But as we heard from the Special Representative of the Secretary-General, constructive engagement and genuine compromise from all sides are necessary for that process to be successful. We note that some of the actors have either refused to nominate representatives or have attached conditions to their attendance. We therefore echo the call of the Special Representative of the Secretary-General on all parties to engage meaningfully with the United Nations process — without preconditions — and to meet under United Nations auspices to resolve the issues that are delaying elections. As I witnessed first-hand during my visit to Tripoli last year, it is the Libyan people who continue to suffer from that political stalemate. Nearly six months have passed since the devastating floods in Derna, and reconstruction is hampered by the lack of a unified and transparent approach. Basic health care and other services are not functioning. The political stalemate exacerbates the challenges that civil society organizations face across Libya. We remain deeply concerned by the shrinking of civil society space, the rise of human rights violations — particularly towards migrants and refugees, as the Special Representative of the Secretary-General highlighted  — and the increasingly restrictive environment for women. We therefore welcome efforts by the High National Elections Commission to hold municipal elections across the country. However, we are concerned by reports that 11 Commission field offices were forced to suspend operations in southern and eastern Libya at the start of February. We strongly urge Libya’s leaders to provide the necessary support to facilitate municipal elections, allowing Libyan people to exercise their democratic rights. As the Special Representative of the Secretary- General has asked, we need to put our collective effort and collective support behind building momentum towards elections. Libyans will benefit from a democratic, united and stable State. We therefore urge Libyan leaders to engage constructively with the Special Representative of the Secretary-General to fulfil their responsibilities to the Libyan people. The United Kingdom will continue to work with partners and support the Special Representative of the Secretary-General and the United Nations Support Mission in Libya towards that aim.

I thank Special Representative Bathily for his briefing this morning. The Special Representative can rest assured of Slovenia’s support for his efforts and for the United Nations- mediated and Libyan-led and -owned process. I also thank Ambassador Yamazaki for the update on sanctions, and I also want to welcome the representative of Libya to today’s meeting. We have recently passed the two-year mark since the postponement of Libya’s planned elections. It is regrettable that the 2.8 million Libyans who registered to vote in 2021 still have not had the opportunity to go to the ballot box, exercising their democratic right and restoring legitimacy to Libyan institutions. We recognize that steps have been taken in the right direction, including the assessment by the United Nations Support Mission in Libya that last year’s updated electoral laws provide a working basis to hold elections. However, we do regret that those laws fail to ensure a greater representation of women, as originally envisaged. Overall, differences clearly remain on the path forward, and those differences require urgent dialogue and compromise to overcome. And amidst regional turmoil, we must prevent the already-fragile security situation in Libya from deteriorating. We therefore urge political actors in Libya to really put the needs and aspirations of the Libyan people first. All parties should engage with the Special Representative’s efforts in good faith and without preconditions and nominate representatives to engage in his preparatory discussions without further delay. We also believe that a political process should go hand in hand with efforts to achieve national reconciliation. We acknowledge the role played by the African Union in that regard and welcome the planned holding of a national reconciliation conference in April in Sirte, Libya. The tragic flooding across eastern Libya in September 2023 demonstrated the urgent need for unified and fully functioning State institutions. That is also critical in the recovery and reconstruction phase. Having suffered our own major flooding last year, Slovenia offers its full solidarity and sincere condolences to all Libyans, for whom that catastrophe has been devastating. It has also served as a serious wake-up call regarding the impact of climate change in the country and in the region, which requires urgent collective action. Finally, I wish to express concern regarding the human rights situation in Libya, particularly in this pre-electoral phase. Attacks against human rights defenders, women’s rights activists, protesters, journalists and civil society groups are directly contrary to the efforts to build an environment conducive to the holding of free and fair elections. We are also worried about reports of human rights violations in detention centres, including torture, forced labour, ill-treatment and sexual violence against women. We welcome the round-table engagement last week between Libyan authorities, civil society representatives and the Special Rapporteur on the rights to freedom of peaceful assembly and of association, in addition to ongoing efforts to establish a human rights- centred action plan to follow up on the final report of the Independent Fact-Finding Mission on Libya (A/HRC/52/83). We call for further concrete steps to make that plan a reality and to achieve a rights-based future for everyone in Libya.

We thank Mr. Abdoulaye Bathily, Special Representative of the Secretary-General for Libya and Head of the United Nations Support Mission in Libya (UNSMIL), and Ambassador Yamazaki Kazuyuki, Permanent Representative of Japan, for their briefings. We have been following the development of events in our brother nation of Libya with unwavering attention. They have unquestionably had an impact on stability and the security situation in the North African region, which has still not recovered from the consequences of the tragic events of 2011. Unfortunately, against the continuing backdrop of a power duality in Libya, there are still no prospects in sight for achieving a sustainable settlement, which clearly cannot ultimately be achieved without a genuinely inclusive Government that can unite representatives from every part of the former Jamahiriya. The status quo has continued for far too long. Libyans must regain faith in the stability of their State institutions. Clearly, the only way out of the situation is to hold national elections and create unified and inclusive institutions based on the results. Despite the fact that last year, within the framework of the 6+6 committee, the members of the Libyan House of Representatives and the High State Council agreed on draft laws on electing the President and the Libyan National Assembly  — and that on 2 October the House of Representatives unanimously approved those draft laws, with some amendments  — the electoral situation has unfortunately still not advanced since then. Nevertheless, we believe it is important to build on those efforts in the context of Libya’s political process, and we hope that everyone will be able to reach the necessary agreements in the near future. The international mediators should actively encourage that. At the same time, we believe that the electoral process should not be loaded up with extra conditions and artificial time frames, and in particular should not exclude political figures who enjoy significant popular support. Again, in this context inclusivity is the main prerequisite for success. We believe that genuine progress in Libya can be achieved only through the joint efforts of all Libyan stakeholders and influential global and regional actors. We continue to believe that there is no alternative to the central role of the United Nations as the leading international mediator in Libyan affairs or to the role of UNSMIL as a key element of this international configuration. In that connection we have been closely following the work of the Special Representative of the Secretary-General in promoting a nationwide political process in Libya. We emphasize our general support for Mr. Bathily’s efforts to find acceptable ways of breaking the internal political deadlock and giving impetus to the political dialogue. In that regard, it will be important to avoid abrupt or ill-considered steps and intrusiveness. As experience has shown time and time again, attempts to impose a particular agenda on Libya’s heavy hitters do not lead to the desired results. We welcomed the African Union conference on Libyan reconciliation held in Brazzaville on 5 February and are grateful to President Denis Sassou Nguesso of the Republic of the Congo for organizing it. We believe it will help to restore national unity in Libya and reach a consensus on many problematic issues, including those related to preparing for and convening the presidential and parliamentary elections. We hope that the all-Libyan national reconciliation conference planned for April, with the participation of representatives from every political and tribal association in the country, will also be a success. We fully support such initiatives, which not only remain relevant but also fit perfectly within the principle of African solutions to African problems. We are concerned about the reports that clashes between Libyan armed groups are continuing in some regions of the country. Against that backdrop, the activities of the 5+5 Joint Military Commission remain key to improving the coordination of the parties on the military track and establishing a unified security architecture. Losing momentum in that highly sensitive area could threaten an escalation in armed confrontations. Where eliminating the foreign military presence in Libya is concerned, we stand for a synchronized, balanced and gradual withdrawal of all non-Libyan armed groups and paramilitary formations, with no exceptions. Before concluding, I would like to urge our colleagues on the Security Council to treat the sanctions toolkit with caution. Most of the Council’s past resolutions on Libyan sanctions were adopted primarily to protect its people from violence, criminality and attacks on national assets, and never as a punishment. At this point they are largely irrelevant and no longer promote national unification, especially now that the reconciliation track is gaining momentum. It is time that we gave serious thought to revising those restrictions. The Libyans themselves have been saying the same thing for some time. We believe that Council members should take their requests seriously, including those relating to various aspects of the future operations of the sanctions regime.

I thank Special Representative of the Secretary-General Bathily for his insightful briefing, and I also welcome Ambassador El-Sonni, Permanent Representative of Libya, to this meeting. At the outset, I want to express Japan’s appreciation for the laudable work of the United Nations Support Mission in Libya and the Special Representative’s ongoing efforts to overcome the political stalemate in Libya. Japan reiterates its support to Mr. Bathily’s initiative to convene a preparatory meeting of the representatives of the major political stakeholders. It is a key step in addressing the core issues that need to be resolved in order to hold the much-anticipated elections. We call on all parties to respond to the Special Representative’s invitation without preconditions and to engage fully and constructively. In that context, Japan welcomes the efforts under way to promote national and local reconciliation in Libya, reinforcing Special Representative Bathily’s initiative on the political track. A Libyan-led and Libyan-owned political process, culminating in free, fair, transparent and inclusive elections, is what ordinary Libyans want. The political leaders must assume their responsibility for realizing that without further delay. Political progress should go hand in hand with ensuring security and stability. In that regard, the work of the 5+5 Joint Military Commission continues to be important, especially with regard to increasing coordination and cooperation between the military institutions in both east and west and accelerating the withdrawal of foreign forces, foreign fighters and mercenaries. Japan remains concerned about the humanitarian and human rights situations in Libya, which have been exacerbated by the rising instability in the region, including in the Sudan. The inhumane conditions imposed on migrants and asylum seekers must be addressed and human trafficking and migrant smuggling networks dismantled. Close collaboration among stakeholders across the country is essential to the reconstruction and recovery efforts in the wake of the catastrophic floods in eastern Libya last September, which are said to have affected more than 20 per cent of Libya’s population. Reports of shrinking civic space and an increase in human rights violations are very distressing. Political progress cannot be genuinely achieved when people are not free from fear and are unable to exercise their fundamental rights. In conclusion, Japan reiterates its firm belief that political stability achieved by establishing a unified and legitimate Government through elections is vital to sustainable peace and security in Libya. We remain committed to supporting Libya’s endeavour through Security Council deliberations, as well as through our Embassy in Tripoli, which reopened in January after a decade.

I thank Special Representative of the Secretary- General Bathily and the Permanent Representative of Japan, in his capacity as Chair of the Security Council Committee established pursuant to resolution 1970 (2011) concerning Libya, for their briefings. I also welcome the representative of Libya to this meeting. My delegation reiterates its call on Libyan stakeholders to reach agreements that will facilitate the holding of free, transparent and inclusive elections, which constitute an aspiration of the Libyan people, to restore legitimacy and end the current divides in their country. The unification of the Government is also essential in order to address the reconstruction of eastern Libya following the floods that occurred in September 2023, the cost of which has been estimated at $1.8 million. As expressed by the United Nations Support Mission in Libya (UNSMIL) in a statement issued on the occasion of the seventy-second anniversary of Libya’s independence, there is a constitutional and legal framework for holding elections that the High National Elections Commission considers technically implementable. However, without political will, laws alone cannot lead to elections. That is why the holding, in January, of the fourth meeting of the preparatory committee for the national reconciliation conference planned for April is a positive step forward in the process towards Libya’s reconciliation and unification. Likewise, the initiative by the President of the Republic of the Congo to convene, on 5 February, a meeting of the African Union High-Level Committee on Libya, in support of the political and national reconciliation process, sends a clear signal of regional support for that process. In that context, I wish to emphasize that a political process led and owned by Libyans and facilitated by the United Nations is the best path to achieving stability in the country and State control over the territory of Libya. In terms of security, I congratulate UNSMIL for organizing a workshop for members of the House of Representatives and the High Council of State, with representatives from various sectors, to discuss the role of legislative bodies and civil society in security sector reform. Ecuador encourages participants in that workshop to explore the desirability of transforming its recommendations into legislation aimed at addressing the security challenges that Libya faces. Furthermore, Ecuador supports the calls on the Libyan authorities to work effectively, with the support of the international community and regional partners, to improve the situation of migrants, refugees and asylum seekers, and to ensure that those responsible for crimes against them are held accountable before justice. In conclusion, I reaffirm my country’s support for the efforts and proposals of Special Representative Bathily to find a peaceful solution to the political crisis in Libya.

I thank the Special Representative of the Secretary-General and the Chair of the Security Council Committee established pursuant to resolution 1970 (2011) concerning Libya for their briefings, and I welcome the presence of the Permanent Representative of Libya among us this morning. More than two years after the failure to organize the elections requested by the Libyan people, the political situation in Libya is deteriorating. France reiterates its full support for the mediation efforts of the Special Representative of the Secretary-General, Mr. Abdoulaye Bathily, to put an end to the instability in Libya. It is urgent to lead the country towards free, transparent and inclusive legislative and presidential elections throughout the country. France encourages Libyan institutional actors to engage in good faith in dialogue, under the auspices of the United Nations, and to reach an agreement on the formation of a new unified Government. Today that is the condition missing for the organization of elections. France reiterates its availability to facilitate that inter-Libyan dialogue, as it has done since 2017, in close coordination with regional and international partners. The security situation is increasingly precarious. The status quo is not in the interests of the Libyan people, while the political vacuum strengthens militias and foreign interference and fuels instability in the country and the wider region. The October 2020 ceasefire agreement must be fully implemented. France reiterates its call for the withdrawal of all foreign fighters, foreign forces and mercenaries from Libyan territory, in accordance with the relevant Council resolutions. It will continue to support the efforts of Libyan actors with a view to reunifying the Libyan army under the auspices of the 5+5 Joint Military Commission and the two Chiefs of Staff. France will continue to support the stability, unity and sovereignty of Libya.

I have the honour to deliver this statement on behalf of the three African members of the Council, namely, Algeria, Sierra Leone and my own country, Mozambique, as well as Guyana (A3+1). The A3+1 thanks Mr. Abdoulaye Bathily, Special Representative of the Secretary-General for Libya and Head of the United Nations Support Mission in Libya, for his insightful briefing and update on the situation in Libya. We wish to reiterate our full support for his efforts. We also thank the Ambassador of Japan in his capacity as Chair of the Security Council Committee established pursuant to resolution 1970 (2011) concerning Libya for his comprehensive briefing. We welcome the participation of the Permanent Representative of Libya in this meeting. The A3+1 believes that the political process, led and owned by Libyans, must remain the primary option to overcome the national political deadlock and restore peace, security and stability in Libya. The A3+1 also believes that elections in Libya are the only way to provide the country with legitimate institutions and a future of peace, unity, stability and prosperity. With that in mind, we urge the parties to overcome the remaining divergences in the implementation of the electoral laws as soon as possible, based on nationwide consensus, without foreign interference. We understand the difficulties faced by the Special Representative in organizing a meeting of Libyan institutional stakeholders aimed at reaching a settlement of politically disputed issues related to the implementation of the electoral process in Libya. As the A3+1, we advocate for all participants in the initiative to cooperate fully and constructively, with goodwill and without preconditions. We encourage the Special Representative of the Secretary-General to continue his mediation efforts to bring Libyan actors back to discussions to relaunch the political process in Libya. The role of all active segments in Libya, in particular women and youth, will ensure sustainable and lasting solutions to the crisis in the country. The A3+1 recognizes that the meaningful and effective participation of women in public life, including all political processes and peacebuilding initiatives, remains essential for Libya’s sustainable development, stability, prosperity and peaceful and democratic future. We encourage the Special Representative of the Secretary-General to continue his efforts in collaboration with regional organizations, in particular the African Union, and with neighbouring countries. The A3+1 takes positive note of the fact that the 2020 ceasefire agreement continues to hold, despite the tense situation in Libya. We call on the conflicting parties to continue to show restraint by fully complying with the ceasefire agreement. The A3+1 believes that the withdrawal of all foreign forces, foreign fighters and mercenaries from Libya is a matter of urgency. Their departure is essential for a favourable environment that is conducive to the advancement of the ongoing political process, for establishing security and stability in Libya and for preserving its unity, independence and territorial integrity. We also emphasize that such a withdrawal should be conducted in close coordination with neighbouring States and with a corresponding disarmament, demobilization and reintegration programme, to avoid the export of conflict in the region. While we are mindful of the fact that the unification of the Libyan Army is a complex issue that requires a comprehensive approach, the A3+1 welcomes and encourages any steps towards increased coordination and cooperation, aimed at the unification of the Libyan security forces, securing Libya’s borders and preventing a regional spillover. We believe the wounds of conflict in Libya run deep, but the time for healing has come. National reconciliation is not just an option, it is a national imperative. It is the bridge to build trust, overcome historical divisions and pave the way to a peaceful and prosperous future for the Libyan nation. We welcome, in this regard, the role of the African Union in supporting the reconciliation project led by the Libyans, as well as of the African Union High- Level Committee on Libya, which held its most recent meeting in Brazzaville on 5 February. We also welcome the efforts made by the Libyan Presidential Council, through the adoption of a national strategic vision on reconciliation based on national ownership. The A3+1 welcomes the agreement of the Libyan parties on the convening of the national reconciliation conference on 28 April in the city of Sirte, Libya. We remain confident that the conference will be a successful pathway towards the achievement of a comprehensive and inclusive reconciliation of the Libyan people. Furthermore, the A3+1 welcomes the commitment of the Secretary-General to lasting peace in Libya. We encourage his Special Representative in Libya to continue his close cooperation with the African Union to ensure the restoration of peace, security and stability in Libya. The A3+1 reiterates its deep concern about the continued dire situation of migrants, refugees and asylum-seekers in Libya. We continue to urge the Libyan authorities, with the support of the international community, as a whole, to work effectively to improve the plight of migrants and refugees in Libya. The devastating floods that struck eastern Libya in September 2023 were far more than a mere humanitarian crisis. They posed a significant challenge to the country’s stability and progress. The Libya Rapid Damage and Needs Assessment, released last month by the World Bank, the United Nations and the European Union, is alarming. We cannot stand idle as families struggle to piece together their homes and livelihoods. This natural tragedy serves as a stark reminder of the urgent need for coordinated efforts to address both the immediate and long-term consequences of natural disasters in Libya. In that regard, we stress the need for the international community to continue supporting affected areas and assisting the country in managing and addressing these natural disasters. The A3+1 believes that respecting Libyan independence and sovereignty is extremely relevant regarding ownership and control over its resources. The Libyan authorities have repeatedly expressed concerns about the freezing of their assets abroad. The Security Council should attach great importance to the issue and take positive steps to address Libya’s legitimate concerns. The A3+1 takes note of the positive steps reflected in the most recent resolution, resolution 2701 (2023), regarding the preservation of Libya’s frozen assets. Their integrity and value must be maintained to ensure that they serve solely the interests of the Libyan nation. The effective protection of Libyan assets is not only a financial imperative but also a beacon of hope for the future of Libya. We look forward to the recommendations of the Panel of Experts in that regard. The A3+1 reiterates its continued support for a lasting settlement of the persisting divisions in Libya, through peaceful dialogue and political means. The political settlement of Libya’s crisis is more urgent today than ever before. Therefore, we must exert all efforts to preserve the momentum for peaceful solutions in Libya and around the world in an already challenging and fragile international landscape, where the situation on the Gaza Strip deserves special attention, bearing in mind that it is fuelling further regional tensions.

I thank Special Representative of the Secretary-General Bathily and the Chair of the Committee established pursuant to resolution 1970 (2011) concerning Libya, Ambassador Yamazaki, for their respective briefings. I welcome the presence of the Permanent Representative of Libya in today’s meeting. The recent period witnessed continued dialogue among the Libyan parties on the electoral process and resulting consensus on several issues. Special Representative Bathily has made considerable efforts to engage with all parties and promote their mutual trust and communication. China hopes that, while building on the outcomes of the dialogue achieved thus far, all parties in Libya will push for greater progress in the political process and create the conditions conducive to the holding of general elections as soon as possible. The facts have shown that only a Libyan-led and -owned political solution can truly bring about long- term peace and stability. The United Nations Support Mission in Libya and Special Representative Bathily should continue to play a constructive role in promoting negotiations and dialogue. The international community must respect Libya’s sovereignty and ownership, refrain from imposing external solutions and prevent Libya from becoming an arena for geopolitical competition. China is pleased to take note of the recent meeting of the African Union (AU) High-Level Committee on Libya, hosted by the Republic of the Congo, during which it announced that it would be creating a national commission for reconciliation on Libya and convening a national reconciliation conference in Sirte in April. Given the country’s traumatic experience of a prolonged civil war, the promotion of reconciliation and rebuilding of trust by all parties will help to create a positive environment for the political process. China expects Libya to benefit from the AU’s support and hopes for great success for the national reconciliation conference. The fragile security situation in Libya is worrisome. In particular, the proliferation of armed groups and the diversion of weapons are acute challenges. The political deadlock in the country has also exacerbated the fragmentation of the security architecture. Peace and stability in Libya are hard-won achievements and should be earnestly cherished and preserved. Otherwise, the country may quickly relapse into conflict and chaos. All parties in Libya must continue to strictly comply with the ceasefire agreement and implement the consensus reached by the 5+5 Joint Military Commission. Foreign forces and mercenaries must withdraw from Libya as soon as possible in a smooth and orderly manner. At the same time, efforts on the economic track must go hand in hand with those on the political and security tracks. China welcomes positive developments such as the resumption of oil production and the reopening of the stock market in Libya. We call on the international community to scale up humanitarian assistance to Libya in support of post-flood reconstruction. China commends the Libyan authorities for properly handling issues relating to oil-field closures through dialogue and consultations and supports Libya in exercising full control of its oil industry and using oil revenues for the benefit of its people. The Libyan authorities have repeatedly expressed concerns about the country’s frozen assets overseas and recently submitted a proposal to the Committee established pursuant to resolution 1970 (2011) concerning Libya in that regard. The Security Council and the sanctions Committee must attach great importance to that issue and actively respond to Libya’s legitimate demands.

I too thank Special Representative of the Secretary-General Bathily and Ambassador Yamazaki for their briefings and welcome the participation of the Libyan representative in today’s meeting. It has been more than two years since the scheduled Libyan elections were called off in December 2021. Despite the 6+6 committee’s hard work on the draft electoral laws, outstanding issues remain unresolved, hampering the entire political process in Libya. At this critical moment, my delegation would like to underline the following three points. First, establishing legitimate and unified governance across the country is all the more important, given the daunting challenges Libya is facing. The ongoing failure to form a unified Government has compounded the suffering of the Libyan people, as demonstrated by the devastating floods in the eastern part of the country last year. The dire effects of the flood have been further magnified by the absence of a national response system to effectively deal with natural disasters, owing to the divisions among political actors. Against that backdrop, we strongly urge, as the Special Representative emphasized, the major political actors in Libya to place the interests of Libya and its people above their self-interest. As holding presidential and legislative elections is the only way to establish legitimate, unified governance across the country, it is crucial for stakeholders to engage in good faith to forge an agreement on the outstanding issues in the draft electoral laws. Among other things, all parties should positively respond to the Special Representative’s proposal for a meeting with the five parties to discuss the way forward. Secondly, improving the security of the environment is essential to safely holding long-overdue elections and achieving national reconciliation in Libya. The recurrence of armed clashes across the country, such as the acute violence that took place in Tripoli and Benghazi last year, demonstrates the still- fragile security situation in the country. We commend the achievements made by the 5+5 Joint Military Commission in maintaining the ceasefire and unifying security institutions. Furthermore, we encourage the Commission to step up its efforts to facilitate the withdrawal of foreign fighters from Libyan soil, which was set back by the political upheavals and instability in the region. Neighbouring countries should also cooperate to achieve implementation to that end. In addition, we urge all parties to comply with the arms embargo put in place by the relevant Security Council resolutions, in particular the measures to prevent any weapons transfers from Libya to neighbouring countries, which would threaten to further destabilize the region. In that regard, we emphasize that the activities of the Panel of Experts, including investigation and reporting, should be intensified. Thirdly, national reconciliation efforts based on the principles of transitional justice and accountability should be nurtured and sustained in tandem with the political process. In that regard, we welcome the plan to hold a national reconciliation conference in April with the support of the African Union and encourage the Libyan parties to adopt an inclusive and consensus- based approach to the reconciliation process. We echo the Special Representative’s concerns regarding the alarming trends of restrictions on civic spaces and arbitrary detentions, and we emphasize that accountability should be ensured. We call on all stakeholders in Libya to comply with their obligations under international human rights law and international humanitarian law. The dire humanitarian situation has not improved, as we witnessed the drowning of approximately 2,500 refugees, migrants and asylum-seekers in 2023 while they were crossing the Mediterranean Sea. This made it the deadliest year since 2017, according to the International Organization for Migration. Coherent international efforts to holistically address the root causes of irregular immigration in this region are badly needed. In conclusion, we lend our full support to Special Representative Bathily in his efforts to facilitate an inclusive and credible political process and remain firmly committed to supporting the aspirations of the Libyan people to move forward on the path towards a brighter future.

I thank Special Representative Bathily for his briefing. I also welcome the briefing made by the Chair of the Committee established pursuant to resolution 1970 (2011) concerning Libya and the participation of the Permanent Representative of Libya in today’s meeting. Malta supports all efforts to seek to advance a Libyan-led and Libyan-owned political process under United Nations auspices. Overcoming Libya’s political paralysis and conducting free, fair, transparent, inclusive and secure elections requires compromise and political consensus. The commencement of the High National Elections Commission’s work on organizing municipal council elections is a positive development. We stress the need to support that process, especially through the allocation of the necessary funding. We look forward to similar developments at the national level. In that vein, the stated readiness of the Commission to start the preparations of the national electoral process is an opportunity that must be seized by Libyan actors. We reiterate the right of the Libyan people to choose their own leadership through such elections and to see their democratic aspirations realized. Malta stresses that any political process must ensure the full, equal, meaningful and safe participation of women as voters, candidates and observers. It must equally include the views of all Libyan stakeholders and facilitate the active, meaningful and inclusive participation of young persons and civil society. The international community’s continued focus and support of these efforts to advance Libya’s political process remains crucial, and we therefore reiterate our steadfast support to the Special Representative of the Secretary-General. His work to facilitate inclusive discussions among the main stakeholders constitutes a reasonable and promising approach to addressing the remaining divergences. Nonetheless, the ultimate responsibility lies with the key Libyan stakeholders. They are the ones who must act in the national interest, constructively engage with this initiative and work for progress. It is equally important to ensure that any regional efforts or initiatives are complementary to the efforts of the United Nations process. Structural threats to Libya’s security, including the fragile political environment, continue to exist, and the situation remains volatile. That poses threats to civilians in Libya. We would like to remind all the parties of their obligation under international law to ensure the protection of civilians and safeguard their human rights. We are concerned about the continued presence in Libya of foreign fighters, foreign forces and mercenaries, whose full withdrawal should be prioritized. Equally worrisome is the proliferation of weapons under the control of various State and non-State actors. Full compliance with the arms embargo, and the broader 1970 sanctions framework, is essential. We believe that the assets freeze is meant to exist for the benefit of Libya and its people and that Libyan funds held abroad must continue to be identified, frozen and declared for eventual repatriation. The assets freeze could truly be a signal of hope for the future of the Libyan State and its people. We are also apprehensive about the potential destabilizing effects on Libya of events in the wider region, including in the Sahel. The continued work of the 5+5 Joint Military Commission and other measures that seek to stabilize the security situation require our full support. We are concerned about the fact that Libya’s political uncertainty may affect the reconstruction and recovery efforts that are needed in the wake of the catastrophic flooding in eastern Libya last September. All Libyan actors should faithfully engage and implement the recommendations and assessments contained in the Rapid Damage and Needs Assessment Report published last month. The most effective way to achieve that is by coordinating these ongoing efforts through a transparent, central and national mechanism.

I thank Special Representative Bathily and Ambassador Yamazaki for their briefings. I also welcome the participation of the representative of Libya in today’s meeting. We support the recent statement of the Secretary- General emphasizing that the Libyan people deserve lasting peace and stability, starting with a commitment to free and fair elections. Let me highlight three points in that regard. First, on the political front, the efforts to organize elections over the past two years have failed, despite repeated calls from the Security Council on the need to reach a compromise. Switzerland calls on the Libyan stakeholders to participate in good faith and without preconditions in the good offices of the Special Representative, in order to enable the organization of free, fair, transparent and inclusive elections. Furthermore, if that is to be achieved, we need to increase synergies between the political and national reconciliation aspects. The reconciliation process must be inclusive, especially where women are concerned. It should be focused on the victims and based on the rule of law. Its success also depends on creating an environment that is conducive to the work of civil society. To that end, as co-Chair of the Berlin Process International Humanitarian Law and Human Rights Working Group, Switzerland supported the holding of a round table in Geneva on 6 and 7 February that focused on freedom of association and was organized by the Special Rapporteur on the subject. Secondly, turning to the situation of children, they need special protection, especially migrant children, asylum-seekers and refugees, including unaccompanied children. Children continue to be arbitrarily detained in official and unofficial detention centres and are exposed to increased risks of violence, including sexual violence. As a matter of priority, it is imperative that the Libyan authorities and other stakeholders respect international humanitarian law and human rights, in particular the Convention on the Rights of the Child. It is a matter of urgency to end the detention of children and authorize access to all detention centres for monitoring bodies, including the United Nations and humanitarian actors. Thirdly, with respect to the political impasse’s direct consequences for the civilian population, in October 2023 the Council recognized that the protracted conflict and political division have made Libya more vulnerable to the humanitarian impact of natural disasters, which are exacerbated by climate change. We want to highlight those links, and we welcome the rapid assessment of the damage and needs resulting from the flooding in Derna that has been done by the World Bank, the United Nations and the European Union. As the report states, climate change has increased the risk of floods by a factor of 50. The Derna disaster also highlighted the growing tensions between the east and west of Libya. The duplication of mechanisms, the lack of transparency surrounding reconstruction contracts and the repression of civic space have all slowed down the delivery of aid to people in need. Switzerland supports the efforts of the Special Representative. If we are to achieve a lasting solution, it is essential that the Council and the international community speak with one voice in support of the political, security, humanitarian, economic and reconciliation aspects in order to meet the expectations of the Libyan people.

I thank Special Representative Bathily for his briefing and for his efforts to support the Libyan people in advancing a stable, secure and sovereign future. I also want to thank Ambassador Yamazaki for his briefing. And we welcome the continued reporting by the Panel of Experts of the Committee established pursuant to resolution 1970 (2011) concerning Libya on acts that obstruct or undermine the successful completion of the political transition in Libya. The United States is committed to supporting stability in Libya, the full implementation of the arms and oil embargo, good governance, the provision of essential services to the Libyan people and a clear path to free and fair elections. We are alarmed by the activities of armed groups in Libya, which operate with impunity and continue to influence Libyan security and politics. We remain concerned about the number of violations of human rights and international humanitarian law by those groups, which have resulted in the death, injury or displacement of hundreds of civilians, as well as about attacks on civil society and allegations of unlawful detentions designed to suppress perceived civil dissent. We urge the Panel of Experts to continue investigating those acts and identifying individuals for possible sanctions. We support Libyan leaders as they intensify their efforts, in coordination with the 5+5 Joint Military Commission, to implement the October 2020 ceasefire agreement and its call for the departure of foreign forces, fighters and mercenaries from Libya, and to advance work aimed at possible disarmament, demobilization and reintegration. We encourage steps towards military reunification that could help reduce criminality in the south, secure Libya’s borders and prevent the spillover of regional turmoil. We also continue to urge Libya’s leaders to commit to implementing a transparent, accountable, equitable system for the management and distribution of oil revenues. We remain concerned about the non-transparent use of Libya’s oil revenues for political and personal gain, which continues to prop up the current system. That includes the illicit export of petroleum products, which the Panel has said has become more frequent from eastern Libya. We call on Libyan political leaders to name their representatives to attend the United Nations-facilitated preparatory talks aimed at addressing the core issues still standing in the way of elections. To repeat what we said at December’s briefing (see S/PV.9510), those who continue to delay the process will have to take a heavy share of the blame if yet more time passes without the election of a legitimate, unified Government. Turning to the Mediterranean, we reiterate our thanks to the European Union for dedicating resources to monitoring and disrupting illicit activities off the coast of Libya. The presence and diligence of the European Naval Force Mediterranean’s Operation IRINI is a deterrent to would-be arms smugglers and fulfils a critical information-sharing function. We are glad that strong human rights language was incorporated into the mandate renewal last October while staying within the scope of resolution 2702 (2023). We are concerned, however, about the apparent increase in violations of the arms embargo, which has necessitated a greater number of interdictions by Operation IRINI. We commend the reporting by the Panel of Experts in each case and urge all Member States to fully comply with the arms embargo. In the wider region, we are closely monitoring the situation in the Niger, Chad, the Sudan and Mali  — including the movement of foreign fighters and rampant arms trafficking — and its destabilizing implications for Libya. We remain particularly concerned about the destabilizing activities of the Wagner Group, a transnational criminal organization with no regard for Libya’s sovereignty or that of its neighbours. We took note of the recent warning by the Office of the United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees that a new influx of Sudanese refugees, asylum seekers and migrants could attempt to travel to Europe via Libya and Tunisia if the conflict in the Sudan persists. The Libyan authorities should redouble their efforts to provide assistance to refugees, asylum seekers and migrants, as the Secretary-General recommended in his latest report (S/2023/967). Finally, we appreciate the Panel’s investigation into the activities of sanctioned individuals and welcome additional statements of cases for potential designations. We also commend the Council’s dedication to due process by regularly reviewing delisting requests.

I now give the floor to the representative of Libya.

I would like to begin by congratulating you, Madam President, on assuming the presidency of the Security Council for this month, and wishing you every success. I also welcome and wish every success for the other new members that have recently joined the Security Council — Algeria, the Republic of Korea, Sierra Leone and Slovenia. We thank Mr. Bathily for his briefing, as well as the Permanent Representative of Japan, who spoke on behalf of the Committee established pursuant to resolution 1970 (2011) concerning Libya. We hope the Sanctions Committee will work to transform its role, with a view to supporting Libyans in their emergence from the crisis rather than working against them, and that it will respond positively to our multiple requests, whether that involves delisting the names of many citizens because of a lack of grounds for keeping them on the list, protecting Libyan sovereign assets and funds from plunder or erosion, or confronting the attempts that some States have made to expropriate our wealth over the years. I make no secret of the fact that preparing my statement today was a challenge. I did not find much to say. Today’s may the briefest I have ever delivered, because the fact is that there is nothing new to say. It is incumbent on me to convey to the Council the questions that are on the minds of the Libyan people, and those questions are, what is next and what is new? They are simple, and yet they are the right ones to ask. I feel that their importance is further confirmed after listening to today’s briefing from Mr. Bathily and the brief and unfortunately repetitious statements by Council members. That is because in reality no progress has been achieved in the political process. These are the questions of Libyan citizens today. What will happen after the repeated meetings held by the United Nations representative throughout the country? What will happen after the meetings with leaders and all the stakeholders? What will happen next after the efforts of the United Nations Support Mission in Libya (UNSMIL) to convene the leaders for a political dialogue? We continue to go around in a vicious circle, and there are no serious initiatives on the horizon. What will happen next? The Libyan people are still waiting for an end to the current crisis. They are still waiting for an end to the vulnerable transitional stages. They are still waiting for the preparation and holding of general elections. They want to end the division and the legitimacy crisis that have continued for years. What comes next? We reiterate the importance of the role of UNSMIL and the international community, which is to support national initiatives, with Libyan leadership and Libyan ownership, for a solution supporting active initiatives that could be implemented to end the crisis. There should be clarity and transparency for the Libyan people on the reasons for the obstacles and on those who are creating the obstacles, whether they are local or international actors. It is time to show the Libyan people whether those obstacles are internal or international. Libyans are tired of the repetition of the alternating roles and foreign interventions that have not ended over all these years. They are sick of the analyses, the diagnoses, the briefings and the statements, all of it to no avail. In that regard, I do not have much more to say. There are certain developments that could give rise to some optimism. They are the practical steps that are now being taken in the context of comprehensive national reconciliation, and the recently held meetings and preparatory committees supervised by the Presidential Council with support from the African Union and the African High-Level Committee on Libya, headed by the Republic of the Congo, for which we are grateful. Those efforts may be able to rebuild the social fabric, establish trust among Libyans and reach a national compact that could be a foundation for supporting all the other processes, whether they are political, economic or security-related. Unfortunately, that process has long been delayed. It was intended to be one of the first, beginning in parallel with all the political efforts, because it is the essential basis for building all the other processes and supporting them. We therefore ask Council members to support those genuine efforts, which could become building blocks for unifying the Libyan people, and to support the process that Libyans aspire to through the holding of general elections, with a view to ending the crisis. There is now a call for holding an inclusive national conference in April, and we ask Council members to support those efforts as much as possible. Council members have been following the meetings that have been held in that regard, most recently in Zintan in preparation for the conference, which will be held in Sirte. We therefore hope that in the coming period and at the next briefing there will be something new to report to the Libyan people, and that there we will see a genuine way out of the crisis so that we do not have to repeat the same things every time. In conclusion, I would like to remind the Council of its moral and human responsibility to combat what is happening as we speak to our people in Gaza, in particular the threat that a new massacre could be committed in the city of Rafah, an area that more than 1.5 million civilians, including children, women and the elderly, have fled to. They are now under a real threat of a new Holocaust, which may be no less horrifying than the previous Holocaust in the eyes of the world. The issue now has no grey area. It is black or white. Everything is clear. The Council holds the responsibility before the world. A draft resolution has been presented by the delegation of Algeria, the Arab representative on the Council, which demands an immediate ceasefire, to salvage what is possible after the killing of more than 30,000 martyrs. This is the real test. On which side of history do Council members want to be? The International Court of Justice has ordered the provisional measures, and now the Council carries the responsibility of preventing this catastrophe. If it does not, the blood of women and children will be on some parties’ hands. We ask the Council to shoulder the responsibility this time around.

There are no more names inscribed on the list of speakers. I now invite Council members to informal consultations to continue our discussion on the subject.