Delivered by Mr. Saod Rashid AlMazrouei, Alternate Political Coordinator
Madam President,
I thank the Special Representative, Mr. Abdoulaye Bathily, for his important briefing. We also listened to the briefing by Ms. Noura El Jerbi and we welcome the participation of Ambassador Taher Al-Sunni in today’s session.
In the context of today’s meeting, I would like to focus on the following key issues:
First, it is important to resolve the outstanding issues concerning the draft legal framework for the elections, as prepared by the 6 + 6 Committee, and reach a compromise that is acceptable to all parties. This will enable simultaneous parliamentary and presidential elections to be held, based on solid legal foundations, and with results that are respected by all parties. Such a step would bring the transitional period to a conclusion in a manner that fulfills the will of the Libyan people.
Therefore, the UAE calls on all parties to continue their efforts and build on the recent understandings to reach a comprehensive and just solution to this issue and overcome the political deadlock. We stress here the need for the parties to avoid any unilateral initiatives that may deepen current divisions.
We affirm here our support for the efforts of Mr. Bathily and the UN Mission in facilitating a Libyan-owned and led political process.
Secondly, we need to continue addressing the growing security challenges facing Libya, as exemplified by the recent worrying developments we have witnessed in Tripoli. The UAE expresses its sincere condolences and sympathy to the families of the civilians who lost their lives in the recent clashes, and reiterates its call to all parties to deescalate, resolve their differences peacefully, and protect the safety of civilians, all while exercising maximum restraint to ensure that these unfortunate events do not happen again.
We also stress the urgent need to advance the unification of vital state institutions to enable Libya to effectively address these challenges and threats. This is particularly important given that the situation in some neighboring countries could undermine the progress achieved in Libya over the past several years.
We commend the meeting held by the International Security Working Group in Benghazi at the end of July. This gathering was attended by the members of the 5 + 5 Joint Military Commission, and we recognize the sincere and responsible commitment demonstrated by the parties to fully implement the ceasefire agreement. I would like to reaffirm the UAE’s continued support for these efforts, including the initiatives aimed at building confidence between the military and security leaders and uniting the Libyan people.
We also align ourselves with the Security Working Group and its call for the Libyan parties to create a conducive environment for holding elections. In this vein, we stress the need for continuing efforts to unify the military and security institutions, as well as the gradual, balanced, and simultaneous removal of all foreign forces, foreign fighters, and mercenaries.
Third, it is important for the international community to unite in supporting the national efforts aimed at addressing irregular migration and its root causes. Simultaneously, we must ensure respect for Libya’s sovereignty and national legislation. We emphasize the need to expand these efforts to include countries of origin and countries of transit. We commend here Libya’s participation in international and regional efforts to address this issue.
Fourth, the UAE stresses the importance of protecting the rights of the Libyan people and preserving and prioritizing their wealth and frozen assets. These assets should be preserved for future generations, and Libyan concerns must be taken into account. This includes the issue of assets erosion as well as the attempts by others to control and acquire Libyan assets. We reiterate here our previous call to insulate oil and financial sectors from political polarization and maintain their unity and integrity. We also affirm our support for the efforts of the Libyan Presidential Council aimed at establishing a financial oversight mechanism, and we commend its working methods in this regard. Furthermore, we welcome the Supreme Finance Committee’s approval to develop and unify standards for the disclosure of revenues and public expenditures at the beginning of this month.
On the other hand, we emphasize the need for the Security Council to seriously consider the sanctions framework imposed on Libya in a practical manner. This reassessment should aim to ensure that it reflects the current situation in Libya and supports national efforts rather than obstructing them, especially in the context of southern Libya.
In conclusion, we stress the importance of finalizing the national reconciliation process in a manner that is inclusive and leaves no one excluded. This approach is essential in order to achieve tangible progress across all political, security and economic issues in Libya. We eagerly anticipate the success of all initiatives in maintaining Libya’s independence, unity, and territorial integrity.
Thank you, Madam President.