S/PV.9770 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/2024/793, 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 2755 (2024). I shall now give the floor to those members of the Council who wish to make statements after the voting. Dame Barbara Woodward (United Kingdom): We welcome the adoption today of resolution 2755 (2024), renewing the mandate of the United Nations Support Mission in Libya (UNSMIL). We would like to thank our fellow Council members for their constructive engagement in the negotiations. Libya needs a long-term political agreement to deliver the peace, stability and prosperity Libyans deserve. This resolution sends an important message reaffirming the Council’s commitment to stand by the Libyan people and to continue to support an inclusive political process leading to free and fair elections and a unified State. The United Nations will continue to play a vital role in supporting that process. Today’s resolution also emphasizes the need for Libya’s natural resources to be used for the well-being of the Libyan people. I reiterate the United Kingdom’s calls for all sides to refrain from unilateral actions that undermine trust and entrench divisions. And I emphasize our call on Libya’s leaders to engage in the political process in the spirit of compromise and in the best interests of the Libyan people. Finally, let me take this opportunity to thank Deputy Special Representative of the Secretary-General Koury for her energy and commitment in Libya and emphasize our support for the Secretary-General as he seeks to appoint a new Special Representative as soon as possible, in order to support UNSMIL in continuing the delivery of its mandate.

I have the honour to deliver this joint explanation of vote on behalf of the three African members of the Security Council, namely, Algeria, Sierra Leone and my own country, Mozambique, as well as Guyana (A3+). The A3+ wishes to express its gratitude to the United Kingdom for its pivotal role in proposing the resolution to renew the mandate of the United Nations Support Mission in Libya (UNSMIL). The careful consideration of our priorities has been paramount, and we appreciate the reflection of those priorities in the text before us. We have voted in favour of resolution 2755 (2024) as a demonstration of our strong support for UNSMIL’s crucial role in Libya. We underscore the importance of preserving the unity and solidarity of the Council, especially at this critical juncture in Libya. Our collective commitment in supporting the sovereignty, independence, territorial integrity and national unity of Libya is vital. We welcome the reaffirmation of the Security Council’s stance to respect these principles and the need to refrain from external interference in Libya. It is our responsibility to stand firmly with the people of Libya as they navigate this challenging period. We are committed to Libya’s stability. We believe that UNSMIL’s continued presence is vital in facilitating inclusive presidential and parliamentary elections, national dialogue and reconciliation. In that context, we consider the prompt appointment of a new Special Representative of the Secretary-General as crucial for achieving this objective. It would ensure continuity and effective leadership in supporting Libya’s peace process. In line with our steadfast support for the renewal of UNSMIL’s mandate, during the negotiations we advocated for a standard straightforward 12-month renewal period. That would provide stability and predictability and would enhance the effectiveness of UNSMIL’s work. The A3+ believes that a longer renewal period would strengthen the Mission’s ability to support Libya’s political and peace processes. However, in the light of the views and concerns expressed in the course of negotiations and in order to maintain the unity and cohesion of the Council in its support for UNSMIL, the A3+ has demonstrated enough flexibility by accepting the proposal reflected in the resolution just adopted. In that regard, we note the eventual automatic extension, for an additional nine months, conditioned on the appointment of a Special Representative of the Secretary-General. We therefore urge Council members to show their support for Libya’s stability by agreeing to a regular mandate when the current mandate expires, taking into account the strategic review to be submitted by the Secretary-General. The A3+ supports a Libyan-led and -owned process aligned with the international efforts. We therefore call for stronger language backing elections and a referendum in Libya. We believe that empowering the Libyan people’s voice through referendum provisions can constructively break the impasse and advance the political process. That will also prioritize their aspirations for peace and stability. The Libyan people have the right to determine their destiny, to choose their leaders and to manage their wealth and resources. They must be afforded the opportunity to shape their future, as stated in the address by the President of the Presidential Council of Libya to the General Assembly on September 2024 (see A/79/PV.9). In addition, we welcome the call for full compliance by all Member States with the arms embargo decision. All States must refrain from taking actions that could exacerbate the conflict and divisions in Libya. That includes the swift withdrawal from Libya of all foreign forces, fighters and mercenaries so as to create an environment that is conducive to progress on the political and security fronts. In conclusion, we reiterate our support for an effective and credible election process, underpinned by a sound constitutional and legal framework as a necessary condition for Libya’s peace, stability and development.

The current political situation in Libya remains complex, and the Libyan parties still have differences in promoting the political transition and the unification of State institutions. Against that backdrop, China votes in favour of resolution 2755 (2024), extending the mandate of UNSMIL, and encourages the Mission to continue its mediation efforts so as to help the Libyan parties bridge their political differences, build political consensus and move beyond the political impasse as soon as possible. Thanks to sustained and joint efforts, the members of the Council have reached consensus on issues such as the duration of the mandate renewal. China welcomes the constructive attitude demonstrated by the parties concerned. It is worth noting that during consultations, many members expressed varying degrees of concern about the long-standing vacancy in the position of the Special Representative of the Secretary-General for Libya. The resolution just adopted calls for the appointment of a new Special Representative as soon as possible. China hopes that the United Nations will expedite the selection and appointment process, with full consideration of the views of the countries concerned and the major stakeholders so that UNSMIL can better perform its duties in a comprehensive manner. At the same time, China supports, in principle, a strategic review of UNSMIL, as mandated by the resolution. We hope that the United Nations will adhere to the principles of objectivity, transparency and pragmatism when conducting the review and put forward practical recommendations for UNSMIL to further adjust and optimize its presence in Libya, within existing financial and human resources, and improve the efficiency of its mandate delivery.

Japan commends the United Kingdom, as the penholder, for its efforts to lead us to the unanimous adoption of resolution 2755 (2024), extending the mandate of the United Nations Support Mission in Libya (UNSMIL) for another three months, with an automatic extension for an additional nine months, provided that a Special Representative of the Secretary-General for Libya has been appointed by then. Japan also welcomes the Council members’ constructive engagement to find the best way to empower the Mission. Japan voted in favour of the resolution given the crucial role that UNSMIL continues to play in supporting and facilitating the Libyan-led and -owned inclusive political process, which will renew the legitimacy of Libyan institutions and pave the way to peace and stability in Libya and the region. Against that backdrop, Japan, along with the vast majority of Council members, clearly supported a 12-month renewal of the mandate, during our negotiations, in order to allow the Mission to fully and smoothly carry out its mandate at this critical juncture for Libya. Japan therefore regrets that the resolution adopted just now extends the mandate for only three months, which could have a negative impact on the work done by the Mission on the ground, even though it comes with a conditional automatic renewal. Japan stresses the urgent need for the members of the Council to be united in further empowering the Mission. I would like to seize this opportunity to reaffirm Japan’s full support for the Mission. Japan calls on Libyan stakeholders and other Member States to join us in supporting the Mission’s work so that Libya can successfully complete its political transition. In conclusion, I reaffirm my country’s steadfast commitment to the Libyan people. As a responsible Member State, Japan is willing to contribute to the Organization’s efforts to support Libya even after the completion of our current term on the Security Council.

The Russian Federation supported resolution 2755 (2024), submitted by the United Kingdom, on extending the mandate of the United Nations Support Mission in Libya (UNSMIL) for three months. A decisive argument in favour of our decision was the fact that a subsequent extension of the mandate for nine months, as stated in the text of the document, would occur only if the Secretary-General appoints a Special Representative for Libya country and Head of UNSMIL by 31 January 2025. We share the position of our colleagues that the United Nations plays a leading role in the configuration of mediation efforts in Libya. A key component of those efforts is UNSMIL. However, the Mission’s transition period, regrettably, is taking longer than expected. We have not had a main Security Council-appointed United Nations negotiator since April, which limits the Missions’ tools to support the Libyan dialogue and complicates the resolution of the pressing problems connected to the Libyan settlement. Further delays are unacceptable against the backdrop of the extensive period of dual power in the former Jamahiriya. The situation risks pushing the country to the brink, beyond which lies the potential resumption of the armed conflict. Our principled position for the earliest possible appointment of the Head of the Mission is dictated solely by our concern for maintaining the effectiveness of United Nations efforts to facilitate a settlement in Libya. The longer the current uncertainty persists, the larger the web of problems entangling this country will become. This state of affairs does not encourage the Libyan parties to continue constructive work aimed at uniting the country and its State institutions. We expect the Secretary-General to promptly submit for consideration by the Security Council a worthy and authoritative candidate for the position of Special Representative for Libya and Head of UNSMIL. The candidate must be agreeable to the main Libyan players and the key regional players. The Mission needs a leader who will enjoy the true trust of all parties. We expect that the Secretary-General will take seriously the signal contained in the resolution adopted by the Council today.

Let me first thank the United Kingdom for the inclusive and flexible manner in which it conducted the negotiations on resolution 2755 (2024), unanimously adopted just now. The United States welcomes the renewal of the mandate of the United Nations Support Mission in Libya (UNSMIL), but we are disappointed that negotiations did not result in the year-long mandate we called for at the 15 October briefing, and which the vast majority of Council members support. Russia’s intransigence during negotiations is the sole reason we do not have a straightforward, one-year mandate that strengthens UNSMIL’s ability to move Libya towards stability and an inclusive peace — and we can only speculate as to why Russia seeks to hobble this vital Mission. UNSMIL is an essential partner in Libya, having brokered the agreement that resolved the leadership crisis at the Central Bank of Libya. Restoring the political process requires similar types of compromises. As we saw during a period in 2022, revisiting the mandate every few months stalled progress on UNSMIL’s long- term plans to develop sustainable solutions to the challenges in Libya. This year, the United Kingdom once again had a challenging role as the penholder, and its engagements resulted in important additions. This resolution includes a new operative clause that will automatically extend UNSMIL’s mandate for nine months if a new Special Representative of the Secretary- General is appointed on or before 31 January 2025. The United States has faith that the Secretary-General will appoint a qualified Special Representative that works for the best interests of the Libyan people. Indeed, we understand there was a qualified candidate who could have been appointed earlier this year. Until such time as the position is filled on a permanent basis, the Council must continue to offer our full support for UNSMIL’s current leadership and its efforts to establish a Libyan- led path to free and fair elections as soon as possible. To do that, the Council must send a clear message that a short-term renewal does not allow spoilers to retrench to the status quo or worse. That is why we strongly support language in the resolution and the Council’s latest press statement (SC/15804) to that effect. While Russia has regrettably forced us to choose between an imperfect resolution or no resolution, the adoption of this resolution today ensures that UNSMIL will continue working on behalf of the Libyan people for a better future that they deserve.