UNSC briefing/consultation on United Nations Support Mission in Libya (UNSMIL)

[24 January 2022; 1000 hours]

Statement by Ambassador T.S. Tirumurti

Permanent Representative of India to the United Nations

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Madam President,

At the outset, I would like to thank the Under Secretary General (USG) Rosemary DiCarlo and Ms. Elham Saudi for their briefing.

We regret to note that the Presidential and Parliamentary elections could not be held as scheduled on 24 December 2021. As an objective endorsed by the Libyan people themselves, this could have been an important milestone in the political process, carrying forward the momentum generated by signing of Ceasefire Agreement in October 2020. We hope that all issues related to the elections and candidature will be resolved in time and the elections will be conducted smoothly. It is important for the Security Council to support the democratic aspirations of the Libyan people.

At the same time, we also note from the briefing that challenges still remain. The involvement of external forces in the internal affairs of Libya has negatively impacted the progress on the political track; and there has been a resurgence in terrorist activity. Continued violations of arms embargo are also equally alarming.

Madam President,

As Libya embarks upon its journey towards peace and stability, it is incumbent upon the international community to continue to provide the necessary support so that the political progress achieved in the country does not whittle away. In this regard, I would like to make the following suggestions:

One, the most important priority for Libya is holding of elections in a free, fair, inclusive and credible manner. A unified call from the Security Council would support this endeavour. We hope that the House of Representatives of Libya will come to an agreement soon to resolve their internal issues.

Two, the sovereignty, independence, unity and territorial integrity of Libya needs to be safeguarded. The peace process must be fully Libyan-led and Libyan-owned with no imposition or external interference.

Three, the provisions of the Ceasefire Agreement and successive Security Council resolutions need to be respected. It is important that the call of the Libyan parties is honoured with regards to the full and complete withdrawal of foreign forces and mercenaries. In this context, we welcome the progress made in implementation of the Action Plan agreed by the 5+5 Joint Military Commission. The recent deportation of mercenaries from Eastern Libya is a welcome development.

Four, it is important that the international community focuses its attention on the threat of terrorism in Africa, in particular in the Sahel region. We must ensure that terrorist groups and affiliated entities are not allowed to operate unchallenged in Libya. The report of the Secretary General has highlighted the presence of training camps of the ISIL in southern Libya. It is critical for the Security Council to focus and act upon the growing threat of terrorism in Africa.

Five, we need to plan for the disarmament, demobilization and reintegration of armed groups and non-state armed actors. Libya also needs an inclusive and comprehensive national reconciliation process

Finally, the UNSMIL has played an important role in Libya and has been one of the key factors in bringing about the progress that we are witnessing now. We will work with other members of the Security Council to support the UNSMIL and its mandate renewal.

To conclude, India has traditionally enjoyed close and mutually beneficial bilateral ties with Libya and we remain committed to supporting Libya and the Libyan people in their endeavour to bring about lasting peace in the country.

I thank you, Madam President.

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