Delivered by: His Excellency Mohamed Abushahab, Ambassador and Deputy Permanent Representative
UNOFFICIAL TRANSLATION
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Mr. President,
I thank the Special Representative, Mr. Abdoulaye Bathily, and Ambassador Kimihiro Ishikane for their valuable briefing. I also welcome the participation of Ambassador Taher Al-Sunni to this meeting.
I wish to reiterate, once more, the UAE’s condolences and solidarity with the state of Libya and its people following last month’s devastating floods, which claimed thousands of lives. In the aftermath of this ordeal, and given the enormous losses and damages caused by the floods, it is vital for the international community to continue taking urgent and concrete measures to provide relief to the Libyan people and help the country recover. The UAE, on its part, has worked expeditiously to send urgent relief aid as well as search and rescue teams to Libya.
The solidarity and cohesion among the Libyan people in the context of responding to this disaster confirms that unification of the Libyan ranks is an achievable goal: people want unity. In this regard, we express our support for Mr. Bathily proposal on the need to find a unified national mechanism to mobilize support and help flood-affected areas to recover and rebuild.
Mr. President,
This moment calls for commitment to dialogue and taking concrete steps to overcome all unresolved issues, to put national interests above all other considerations.
It also requires the international community and the United Nations to intensify mediation efforts, focusing on building bridges and helping the parties reach a Libya-led and Libya-owned comprehensive and just political settlement.
Here, we re-affirm our support for the United Nations Support Mission in Libya and the efforts of Special Representative Bathily.
As we have stated before, holding parliamentary and presidential elections based on agreed-upon laws, the results of which are respected by all parties, remains an important milestone for completing the transitional period. The efforts of the Joint Committee “6+6” in drafting these laws represent a step in the right direction, and it is necessary to maintain the progress achieved, to reach consensual and feasible solutions.
Mr. President,
With regard to the Security Council resolution on the sanctions’ regime, we continue to stress the need for the Council to continue regularly assessing the situation on the ground. If the situation improves, the Council can consider the possibility of easing the restrictions imposed on Libya to help the country respond to the complex challenges it faces. This means that the sanctions regime must be flexible enough to adapt to changes on the ground.
We also emphasize the need to take measures to ensure the preservation of the wealth of the Libyan people and its fair distribution, while preventing any attempts to exploit it in a manner counter to the interests of Libya. We welcome the inclusion of language in the resolution that will be adopted confirming that the frozen Libyan assets will be available in later stages for the benefit of the people. We believe that the Libyan Investment Authority’s determination to develop a plan to prevent further losses due to the freezing of assets is one of the steps that will help preserve these resources for the Libyan people.
The resolution’s reference to the possibility of allowing the Authority to reinvest liquid assets is an important issue, which would provide the opportunity in the future to promptly revive the economy and promote development in Libya.
There is no doubt that establishing sustainable stability in Libya requires continued efforts to achieve the success of national reconciliation, with the aim of achieving reconciliation and peace throughout Libya. We affirm our support for the 5+5 Joint Military Commission, which has contributed to maintaining the stability of the ceasefire and is diligently continuing its efforts to unify the military and security institutions in Libya. In the same vein, we continue to call for the withdrawal of all foreign forces, foreign fighters, and mercenaries from the country in a simultaneous, phased, and gradual manner.
Additionally, addressing the complex security challenges in Libya requires continuing to support national efforts in combating terrorism, especially in the south, and ensuring the follow-up of disarmament, demobilization, and reintegration efforts.
In conclusion, the UAE stresses the importance of intensifying efforts to help the Libyan parties turn the page of the dispute and prioritize the interests of the Libyan people and their aspirations towards security and stability.
Thank you, Mr. President.