Libyans Overwhelmingly Want Political Agreement, Credible Elections ‘to Restore Legitimacy to All Institutions’, Briefer Tells Security Council
Amid a political stalemate, insecurity and arms embargo violations, the commencement of voter registration for municipal elections is a positive note in Libya’s troubled and divided landscape, the Security Council heard today.
Briefing the Council, the Deputy Special Representative and Political Officer for the United Nations Support Mission in Libya (UNSMIL), Stephanie Koury, said “the status quo is not sustainable”, adding that, “while institutional and political divisions keep deepening, ordinary Libyans long for peace, stability, prosperity and reconciliation”. She said that, in her ongoing consultations in the east and west of the country, “overwhelmingly, citizens conveyed the need for a political agreement so that credible national elections can be held to restore legitimacy to all institutions”. She called for “resolute and united action” to advance the political process, with the international community’s support.
She highlighted that the High National Elections Commission opened voter registration in June for municipal elections in 60 municipalities, with over 30,000 people registering so far. “This is an important step, although voter registration, in particular female voter registration, remains quite low.” The Commission, with UNSMIL, is encouraging greater registration, but 10 of 12 in-person registration centres in the eastern municipalities have been prevented from opening. She urged the authorities to allow them to open.
Noting Libyans’ fears due to recent incidents of violence, she said the clashes are “a stark reminder of the fragility of Libya’s security landscape” which underscores the “importance of unified, reformed security sector institutions and the importance of local mediation efforts”. No violation of the ceasefire was recorded during the reporting period, but progress on the withdrawal of foreign entities, neighbouring unrest, reports of abductions and arbitrary arrest and detention, and an influx of Sudanese refugees are causes for concern, as is the fragile economic situation. “Unifying the national budget is an absolute necessity,” she said.
In the ensuing debate, many delegates were concerned over Libya’s key players placing their own interests above those of the Libyan people and said that the political impasse had to be addressed for security in the country to improve.
Finding a political way forward is “a race against time”, said the representative of Sierra Leone, also speaking on behalf of Algeria, Guyana and Mozambique. He called on all stakeholders to engage in UNSMIL’s mediation efforts and move from entrenched positions to facilitate national elections. He underlined that meetings, such as the one in May in Tunis of Libyan security actors to discuss a common code of conduct, are essential to establish a unified and coordinated security approach.
Some speakers welcomed the commencement of voter registration and that municipal elections are to be held later in 2024, with Switzerland’s delegate saying the local polls “could pave the way for elections at the national level”. Other delegates called for authorities to support the election process.
Yet, there were worries from the United Kingdom’s representative, among others, over the relevant Panel of Experts continuing to describe the arms embargo on Libya as “totally ineffective”, because Member States are providing military support to parties to the conflict, controlling supply chains and ignoring their obligations under Council resolutions. The delegate of the United States welcomed the Panel of Experts’ work and identification of those involved in embargo and other sanctions violations. However, he expressed concern by recent reports of Russian Federation naval vessels unloading military hardware in Libya.
In response, the representative of the Russian Federation said that “traditional friendly Russian-Libyan cooperation” is carried out pursuant to all international obligations. She added that “nobody can compare” to what the United States and several European States created in Libya and the region in 2011 — “and the havoc they wrought there”. The delegate of the United States replied: “We know what they’re doing — they’re violating sanctions.”
As well as stating that there must be implementation of the arms embargo, the Republic of Korea’s delegate said there has to be sustained attention on human rights and the humanitarian situation, including the plight of refugees and migrants. There must be easier access for humanitarian aid via coordination by Libyan leaders, the representative of Sierra Leone urged, stating that a coordinating mechanism to address needs would help.
However, the representative of Libya said that, while Libyans follow the Council’s meetings, “they feel that there is a repetition of statements and they know the results in advance”. There has been “no real, tangible progress in the political process” and stagnation persists, he said. Urging that the solution be left “in the hands of Libyans”, he underlined the need to continue on the political path — especially when a new Special Envoy is assigned — and to “build on what has been consensual so far”.
Libyan people “are tired and fed up” with the vicious cycle that has been ongoing for decades; with “being lectured on what to do and what not to do”; with the Council’s inability to implement its resolutions and hold spoilers accountable — “whether they are individuals, groups or countries”; and with using Libya as a proxy for certain countries’ and regional Powers’ “selfish, greedy battles — some of which have colonial ambitions”. He added: “We are tired from all of that, and I guess it is about time to leave Libya alone and to free it from this Council.”
THE SITUATION IN LIBYA
Briefing
STEPHANIE KOURY, Deputy Special Representative and Political Officer for the United Nations Support Mission in Libya (UNSMIL), said that, in her ongoing consultations in the east and west, “overwhelmingly, citizens conveyed the need for a political agreement so that credible national elections can be held to restore legitimacy to all institutions”. The importance of including details and mechanisms for enforcement in any future political agreement to help ensure adherence has been emphasized. Addressing underlying conflict drivers has been raised, including economic, security structure and governance issues. The need for more decentralization, inclusiveness, fairness and transparency was widely expressed. Libyans are calling for a national political solution and local elections. She highlighted that in June the High National Elections Commission opened voter registration for municipal elections in 60 municipalities, with over 30,000 people registering so far. “This is an important step, although voter registration, in particular female voter registration, remains quite low.” The Commission, with UNSMIL, is encouraging greater registration, but 10 of 12 in-person registration centres in the eastern municipalities have been prevented from opening. She urged the authorities to allow them to open.
She underlined that Libyans are concerned about conflict prevention and preserving stability. There were clashes in April in Tripoli’s Ain Zara district, in May in Al-Jmail and Al-Zawiya, and a car bombing last week in Tripoli, alongside reports of continued arms build-up in the country. These are “a stark reminder of the fragility of Libya’s security landscape” and underscore the “importance of unified, reformed security sector institutions and the importance of local mediation efforts”. While no violation of the ceasefire was recorded during the reporting period, progress on the withdrawal of foreign forces, foreign fighters and mercenaries remains stalled. The security situation in several neighbouring countries has disrupted contact initiated by the 5+5 Committee with the liaison committees established by these nations.
For many, she noted, the economic situation is difficult, with high prices and inequitable distribution of resources and opportunities. “Unifying the national budget is an absolute necessity,” she said, urging all stakeholders to resolve remaining differences to ensure its swift adoption and transparent implementation. Expressing deep concern over reports of a repetitive pattern of abduction or arbitrary arrest and detention, she said that UNSMIL will continue to call for transparent and independent investigations into any deaths of men and women in custody and disappearances. Migrants, refugees and asylum seekers continue to experience horrible human rights violations. A comprehensive legal and policy framework is needed to address their situation. On 28 May, UN agencies and humanitarian partners in coordination with Libyan authorities launched the 2024 Sudan Refugee Response Plan for $43.8 million to meet the needs of 195,000 Sudanese refugees and host communities.
Underlining that it is critical to advance national reconciliation and transitional justice, she commended the work of the Presidential Council and the House of Representatives Justice and Reconciliation Committee for agreeing on one draft law that upholds victims’ rights and adheres to international standards. UNSMIL launched in May its new youth engagement strategy to empower young people, focusing on training, advocacy and networking, and in June completed its first annual training programme for 30 young women leaders from across Libya, with a second following in September. She underscored that “the status quo is not sustainable”, noting that, “while institutional and political divisions keep deepening, ordinary Libyans long for peace, stability, prosperity and reconciliation”. She called for “resolute and united action” to advance the political process, with the international community’s support.
Statements
The representative of the United Kingdom welcomed the Libyan High National Election Commission’s 9 June announcement that it has opened voter registration for municipal elections in 60 municipalities, urging Libya’s leaders to provide the support necessary to enable successful delivery of the same. Expressing concern over the growing humanitarian crisis in Kufra, which is receiving increasing numbers of refugees fleeing the war in Sudan, she called on Libyan authorities to facilitate humanitarian access for UN agencies and international organizations. She also noted that the relevant Panel of Experts continues to describe the arms embargo on Libya as “totally ineffective” because Member States are providing military support to parties to the conflict, controlling supply chains and ignoring their obligations under Council resolutions. “These actions expose the vested interests of certain Member States and confirm to the international community — and to Libya — that they are not committed to Libyan sovereignty, prosperity or security,” she stressed.
The representative of Sierra Leone, also speaking on behalf of Algeria, Guyana and Mozambique, underscored that it is crucial the Secretary-General promptly appoints a successor to the Special Representative for Libya and Head of UNSMIL. Expressing his grave concern about the political situation, he said that ending the stalemate and holding elections to unify Libya “is a race against time”. All stakeholders must engage in UNSMIL’s mediation efforts and move from entrenched positions to facilitate national elections. The security risks will continue if the political trajectory remains frozen, he noted. The absence of a cohesive governing body, unified security forces and a united strong stance on Libya from the Council mean the continued existence of external influences. The Council must collaborate to prevent Libya from becoming a safe haven for terrorist-affiliated non-State armed groups.
He underlined that meetings, such as the one in May in Tunis, of Libyan security actors to discuss a common code of conduct are essential to establish a unified and coordinated security approach. Though heartened that the ceasefire agreement still holds, he expressed concern over the Sudanese and Libyan conflicts being intertwined. Noting that ongoing violations of the arms embargo reveal it to be “totally ineffective”, he urged all Member States to fully enforce it. He called for the rescheduling of the National Reconciliation Conference. Humanitarian aid needs easier access, via coordination by Libyan leaders, and a coordinating mechanism to address needs would help. The authorities, with the support of the international community, must improve migrants and refugees’ plight. Gravely concerned about obstacles to elected members accessing the Council’s documentation, he urges Council members to seriously consider this issue.
The representative of France, urging collective focus on organizing free, transparent and inclusive presidential and legislative elections in Libya, said that establishing a new, unified Government is critical to end the current impasse. In that context, she welcomed the High National Election Commission’s announcement that municipal elections will be held in 2024, urging Libyan authorities to prepare by allocating the necessary budget and ensuring that security conditions are met for the smooth conduct of elections. Turning to the security situation — where “borders are porous, foreign intervention is growing, militias are expanding their foothold and myriad forms of trafficking are proliferating” — she stressed that this is undermining Libyan and regional stability. Key to restoring that stability is the withdrawal of all foreign combatants from Libya. Also expressing concern over human rights violations in Libya — pointing to “information related to arrests, arbitrary detentions and forced disappearances” — she encouraged Libyan authorities to facilitate international access to detention centres.
The representative of Japan underscored that the lack of a political process is negatively impacting Libya’s economic, social and security situation, as well as regional stability. “Japan again urges all the concerned stakeholders to place the desires of the Libyan people above their own interest,” he said, calling for dialogue between key players under the UN’s auspices. He appreciated the opening of voter registration for municipal council elections in 60 municipalities and called for its swift initiation in the other 46 municipalities. Welcoming the unification of the Central Bank of Libya and the establishment of the High Financial Committee, he said fair and transparent distribution of national revenue is imperative for leaders to place the people’s interest first. The recent meeting in Tunis is encouraging regarding coordinating security, and efforts towards the withdrawal of foreign fighting entities must continue.
The representative of Ecuador, welcoming the “significant progress” made towards opening voter registration for municipal elections, observed that “electing representatives at the local level has a positive impact and promotes development and stability in the country”. To that end, Libyan authorities must ensure that citizens can exercise their right to vote, and cooperation to strengthen institutional infrastructure to carry out this process successfully is important. He also emphasized that a comprehensive national reconciliation process that “addresses the causes of division and includes demands for truth and justice” is key to achieving lasting peace in Libya. Noting the recent recovery of 11 bodies and the rescue of dozens of people off the coast of Libya as “further evidence of the serious situation being faced by migrants”, he called on Libyan authorities — in cooperation with the international community — to protect the rights of those who are “part of migration movements” and to dismantle the trafficking networks operating in the country.
The representative of the Russian Federation stressed the need for unifying processes in Libya, but underscored that there has been no progress due to external players’ diverging interests, insufficiently effective international mediation efforts and local authorities’ desires to maintain the status quo. Moving beyond this impasse requires nationwide elections. She hoped parties would soon reach an agreement on electoral legislation. Actors with significant support should not be excluded from the polls, including representatives of the former Government, otherwise, they will contest the election results. She feared that supposed concerns from within the Council over enhancing the Libyan army’s professional level are a pretext for advancing national interests. Weapon deliveries and mercenaries’ presence need to end, which have been apparent since the North Atlantic Treaty Organization’s (NATO) illegal aggression in 2011. She expressed concern about foreign financial structures being persistently manipulated, posing a threat to the safety of frozen Libyan assets. Irrelevant parts of the Sanctions List should be revised, she added.
The representative of Switzerland, welcoming the recent announcement of municipal elections, said that they would be “an important first step in restoring citizens’ confidence in their authorities and in the country’s stability”. Holding such elections also presents several challenges, however, and the authorities and institutions concerned must facilitate the process of organizing them. “The successful holding of elections at the local level could pave the way for elections at the national level,” she observed. Turning to reports that “arbitrary detentions have been normalized in a climate of impunity” in recent years, she said that such practices “effectively muzzle political opponents — or those perceived as such — and spread a climate of fear that is not conducive to the exercise of political rights”. Further, they are used against representatives of certain social, political or religious minorities; worsen tensions between communities; and represent a significant obstacle to long-term reconciliation efforts. “Individuals detained arbitrarily must be released unconditionally,” she stressed.
The representative of the United States said a unified international voice supporting the security, economic, political and humanitarian tracks will be crucial to make concrete progress for Libyans. He said that he was pleased the UN-Libya Vessel Inspection Authority was renewed in May for another 12 months. The measure serves as a deterrent to potential sanctions violators and facilitates information-sharing about trafficking off Libya’s coast — itself crucial due to the increase in arms embargo violations. He welcomed the Panel of Experts’ work and identification of those involved in embargo and other sanctions violations. Recent reports of Russian Federation naval vessels unloading military hardware in Libya are concerning. He underlined that progress towards military integration is key to reaffirming Libyan sovereignty. Economic instability is fuelling national divisions, he noted. A unified budget and a transparent system for oil revenue management are needed. Human rights violations and the influx of Sudanese refugees must be addressed.
The representative of Malta, expressing regret that “unsustainable political paralysis persists” in Libya, said that her delegation looks forward to addressing the current leadership gap within UNSMIL — “as we fear a prolonged gap will only solidify the status quo”. She also expressed hope that Libyans who exercise their right to elect municipal leaders “will be similarly empowered to do so at the national level”. Turning to structural threats to Libya’s stability, she said these include the volatile political situation; the continued presence of foreign fighters, forces and mercenaries; and the proliferation of weapons under the control of various State and non-State actors. Full compliance with the arms embargo and broader sanctions framework is essential, and she said that the asset freeze “is meant to exist for the benefit of Libya and its people”. Therefore, Libyan funds held abroad must continue to be identified and fully safeguarded for eventual repatriation.
The representative of Slovenia said the political stalemate and its security, economic and humanitarian impacts affect the capacity to manage crises as they arise, for instance in disaster preparedness and extreme weather responses. She called on all actors to show the political will required to put the Libyan people first and engage in good faith and without preconditions with the UN’s efforts. She welcomed progress towards local elections, urging authorities to facilitate the High National Elections Commission’s work, and hoped to see presidential and parliamentary elections follow. The absence of any political progress only empowers armed actors in Libya, she underlined, adding: “It is regrettable that armed groups have growing influence in the country.” She called for full implementation of the ceasefire agreement and the withdrawal of all foreign fighting entities. She expressed concern that the arms embargo remains ineffective and urged States to respect it.
The representative of China said that dialogue is “the only way out of the political impasse in Libya”, expressing hope that all parties resolve their differences through consultation and continue to advance the political process. “The UN is a major channel for mediation on the Libyan issue,” he stressed, calling on the international community and UNSMIL to continue supporting a political process led and owned by Libyans, to respect Libya’s sovereignty and territorial integrity and to avoid imposing external solutions. Stating that recent clashes in Zawiya and elsewhere are “a stark reminder of the fragility of the security landscape”, he urged all parties in Libya to act in the best interests of the country, and its people to “be rational” and to exercise restraint. He added that “relevant European countries” should protect migrants’ and refugees’ right to life, and that the Council should proactively address Libya’s legitimate concerns regarding its assets frozen abroad.
The representative of the Republic of Korea, Council President for June, speaking in his national capacity, stressed the need for continued international and regional engagement towards Libya’s unity and a unified Government. He urged that UNSMIL’s role as mediator and facilitator continue without any pause. “The current precarious situation in Libya does not allow for wasting time.” He welcomed the opening of voter registration and urged all authorities to fully support the holding of elections in 2024. Parties should refrain from providing arms to actors in Libya, which threatens to inflame instability. There must be implementation of the arms embargo and sustained attention on human rights and the humanitarian situation, including the plight of refugees and migrants. He noted the influx of people from Sudan due to the conflict there and welcomed the holding of an international conference on border security and combating illegal immigration next month in Tripoli.
The representative of the Russian Federation, taking the floor a second time, said that “traditional friendly Russian-Libyan cooperation” is carried out pursuant to all international obligations. She added that “nobody can compare” to what the United States and several European States created in Libya and the region in 2011 — “and the havoc they wrought there”.
The representative of the United States, responding, said: “We know what they’re doing — they’re violating sanctions — and we’ll continue to call it out as need be.”
The representative of Libya said that, while Libyans follow the Council’s meetings, “they feel that there is a repetition of statements and they know the results in advance”. There has been “no real, tangible progress in the political process” and stagnation persists, he said — especially with the Special Envoy’s post vacant. Urging that the solution be left “in the hands of Libyans”, he underlined the need to continue on the political path — especially when a new Special Envoy is assigned — and to “build on what has been consensual so far”. He also urged support for domestic efforts to unite all national police and security forces; implementation of all provisions of the ceasefire agreement, including ending all foreign presence on Libyan territory; and necessary attention to national reconciliation. The latter, he stressed, is the only way to rebuild the social cohesion that will be the basis for building trust among Libyans.
“Without that, we cannot reach a real reconciliation,” he underscored. While addressing the country’s economic situation, migration issues and terrorism are all important, he said that this will not be possible “until we find a real solution to the political problem and unite the country”. Libyan people “are tired and fed up” with the vicious cycle that has been ongoing for decades; with “being lectured on what to do and what not to do”; with the Council’s inability to implement its resolutions and hold spoilers accountable — “whether they are individuals, groups or countries”; and with using Libya as a proxy for certain countries’ and regional Powers’ “selfish, greedy battles — some of which have colonial ambitions”. He added: “We are tired from all of that, and I guess it is about time to leave Libya alone and to free it from this Council.”