Libya

Welcoming a $1 million contribution from the United States in support of Western Sahara refugees in Algeria, the World Food Programme said today it will use the funds to provide staple food items as part of monthly food rations for thousands of refugee families living in extremely harsh conditions for more than 40 years.

Aid workers in Iraq are preparing to bring water, hygiene, sanitation, food and emergency medical care to those in need ahead of the anticipated military campaign to retake the Da’esh-held town of Telafar, some 60 kilometres west of Mosul.  Some 60,000 people are believed to remain trapped in the city and its environs.

On 2 August 2017, the Committee approved the addition of the entry specified below to its List of individuals and entities subject to the assets freeze, travel ban and other measures relating to attempts to illicitly export petroleum, including crude oil and refined petroleum products, from Libya (the Libya Sanctions List), set out in paragraphs 15 and/or 17 of Security Council resolution 1970 (2011) and/or paragraph 19 of resolution 1973 (2011), or paragraph 10 of resolution 2146 (2014), as extended and modified by paragraph 2 of resolution 2362 (2017), adopted under Chapter VII of the Charter of the United Nations.

The following Security Council press statement was issued today by Council President Liu Jieyi (China):

On 21 July 2017, the Committee approved the addition of the entry specified below to its List of individuals and entities subject to the assets freeze, travel ban and other measures relating to attempts to illicitly export petroleum, including crude oil and refined petroleum products, from Libya (the Libya Sanctions List), set out in paragraphs 15 and/or 17 of Security Council resolution 1970 (2011) and/or paragraph 19 of resolution 1973 (2011), or paragraph 10 of resolution 2146 (2014) as extended and modified by paragraph 2 of resolution 2362 (2017), adopted under Chapter VII of the Charter of the United Nations.

The Office of the United Nations High Commissioner for Human Rights (OHCHR) is deeply concerned that, after recent fighting in Benghazi, people taken prisoner by members of the Libyan National Army may be at imminent risk of torture and even summary execution.

The Secretary-General yesterday strongly condemned the launch of a ballistic missile of possible intercontinental range conducted by the Democratic People’s Republic of Korea.  He said that the action is yet another brazen violation of Security Council resolutions and constitutes a dangerous escalation of the situation.

The Security Council today decided to extend until 15 November 2018 the mandate of its Panel of Experts on Libya — as well as sanctions related to the illicit export of petroleum — while adding “attacks against United Nations personnel” to the criteria for the ongoing travel bans and freezing of assets affecting individuals and entities in the conflict-wracked North African nation.

Today, in a message to a forum being held by the Palestinian Rights Committee to mark 50 years of occupation, the Secretary-General said it was time to return to direct negotiations and resolve all final status issues on the basis of relevant United Nations resolutions, agreements and international law.

United Nations Secretary-General António Guterres today announced the appointment of Ghassan Salamé of Lebanon as his Special Representative and Head of the United Nations Support Mission in Libya (UNSMIL).