Unanimously Adopting Resolution 2578 (2021), Security Council Renews Authorization to Inspect Vessels Suspected of Violating Libya Arms Embargo

The Security Council decided today to extend for another year a series of authorizations for Member States to inspect vessels on the high seas off the coast of Libya suspected of violating that country’s arms embargo.

Unanimously adopting resolution 2578 (2021) under Chapter VII of the Charter of the United Nations, the 15-member organ decided to extend the authorizations laid out in resolution 2526 (2020) for a further 12 months.

Those measures — first agreed in resolution 2292 (2016) — allow States, acting nationally or through regional organizations, to inspect vessels on the high seas bound to or from Libya, given reasonable grounds to believe that they are in violation of the Council’s arms embargo.

By other terms of the text, members requested the Secretary-General to report on the implementation of today’s resolution within 11 months.

The meeting began at 10:03 a.m. and ended at 10:06 a.m.