UN Secretary-General Antonio Guterres expressed his deep concern about the political stalemate and parallel governing institutions in Libya, noting that they are paving the way for further political division in the country.
In a detailed report on the past four months, Guterres noted that unilateral actions and continued stalemate have eroded trust between the Libyan parties and increased their intransigence in their positions, perpetuating the status quo.
The Secretary-General stressed the importance of providing support to the efforts of the Deputy Special Representative of the United Nations in Libya, Stephanie Khoury, to revitalize the political process through inclusive consultations.
Transforming Libya into an arena of international conflict:
Guterres expressed his concern about Libya turning into an arena for conflict between regional and international actors, warning that this competition – driven by geopolitical, political and economic interests – threatens Libya’s sovereignty and stability, and constitutes an obstacle to the work of the United Nations Support Mission in Libya.
Guterres called on regional and international partners to find common ground to support Libyan efforts to reach a political agreement facilitated by the United Nations, refrain from any unilateral and uncoordinated initiatives, and remain cohesive in supporting the United Nations efforts to resolve the political crisis in Libya.
Benghazi clashes
Guterres reported that clashes took place in Benghazi in mid-April between sub-units of the Tariq bin Ziyad Battalion and the 166th Battalion, resulting in casualties among the ranks of both battalions.
The Secretary-General’s report said that the clashes erupted after a sub-unit of the Tariq bin Ziyad Battalion attempted to seize control of a camp in central Benghazi under the control of the 166th Battalion, and reports were received of the arrest of members of the 166th Battalion.
Kidnapping and arbitrary detention:
Guterres expressed his concern about the continued deprivation of liberty in Libya, including incidents of abduction, enforced disappearance, arbitrary arrest and detention, calling on the Libyan authorities to conduct transparent and independent investigations into all cases of death in custody and disappearances, enable the immediate and unconditional release of all those arbitrarily detained, and make a firm commitment to end the practices of abduction, disappearance, arbitrary arrest and detention.
The importance of municipal elections:
The statement focused on the importance of municipal elections as a fundamental step towards effective and representative governance at the local level, and as a possible starting point for national elections.
Guterres commended the progress made by the High National Elections Commission in organizing this year’s municipal elections, despite financial constraints, calling on the Libyan authorities to support the Commission’s efforts to hold elections in all municipalities.
National reconciliation:
The Secretary-General commended the efforts of the Presidential Council and the House of Representatives to develop a unified draft law on transitional justice and national reconciliation, which upholds the rights of victims and adheres to international standards, stressing the commitment of the United Nations to work with the African Union to support a Libyan-led, rights-based, human-centred reconciliation process.
A practical economic approach:
Guterres stressed that the Libyan people are suffering economically despite the country’s natural wealth and great human and economic potential, stressing that the time has come for Libyan stakeholders to move beyond politicizing the economic and financial debate and adopt a technical and practical approach to public spending, socio-economic development and reconstruction.
Source: Report of the Secretary-General of the United Nations
2024-08-17 12:03:41