Delivered by: His Excellency Mohamed Abushahab, Ambassador and Permanent Representative

UNOFFICIAL TRANSLATION

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Madam President,

I thank Special Representative Bathily for his valuable briefing and important efforts in supporting Libya. I also thank Mr. Osamu Yamanaka for his comprehensive briefing, and I welcome the participation of Ambassador Taher Al-Sunni to today’s session.

I would also like to express our sincere condolences to the families of the people who recently drowned in a tragic accident off the coast of Libya, which includes women and children.

Madam President,

Thirteen years ago, Libya experienced a critical juncture, a time when the Libyan people faced significant hurdles due to insecurity and instability, dire humanitarian conditions, and the emergence of serious economic challenges.

Yet, in more recent years, Libyans have been able to make significant progress towards reaching a peaceful settlement, one that will help the country transition into a new peaceful stage, marked by development and prosperity.

Still, many obstacles still need and must be addressed, particularly those pertaining to divisions, which continues to undermine the gains achieved so far in the political process. We stress that the interest of the Libyan people must be put above all considerations.

As we are well into the last month of the UAE’s membership in the Security Council, I would like to emphasize a number of important matters related to the situation in Libya:

First, the political process must remain the primary and only option for establishing security and stability in Libya. This means committing to dialogue to resolve differences between the parties.

We hope that Libya will hold its parliamentary and presidential elections, in accordance with agreed upon laws, to conclude the national transition stages according to a path that is agreed upon by all. In this regard, we affirm our support for the efforts of the 6+6 Joint Committee to draft electoral laws. We hope that all parties will reach practical, tangible and consensual solutions in this regard.

We affirm the need for the United Nations and the Special Envoy to continue their mediation efforts. Such efforts are crucial for building bridges between the Libyan parties and help them reach a comprehensive and just political settlement, led, and owned by the Libyans.

Second, the future of Libya and its people depend on de-escalation and refraining from the use of force to restore security in the country. In this context, we welcome the report of the Secretary-General confirming that the ceasefire has not been violated during the period covered by the report. We stress that it is important for the “5 + 5” Joint Military Commission to continue its efforts to stabilize the ceasefire and unify the military and security institutions. We hope in this regard to see tangible steps on the ground.

The simultaneous, phased and gradual removal of all foreign forces, foreign fighters, and mercenaries from Libya is essential to establishing security and stability in Libya, and to preserving its unity, independence, and territorial integrity.

We must also continue to confront terrorism in Libya and address its root causes, so that terrorist groups no longer have a foothold there, especially in the south of the country.

Third, three months after from the harrowing floods that struck Libya, and despite the continued recovery and reconstruction efforts, the affected cities and regions still need support and to see basic services be resumed for their residents. This is important for areas like the city of Derna, where thousands of residents have been displaced. In this regard, we stress the need for the international community to continue supporting affected areas. Additionally, efforts to establish a national mechanism should continue to help the country in managing and addressing disasters.

Finally, achieving progress in security, political and humanitarian tracks in Libya must be paralleled with focusing on the economic and development path. This is essential to long term stability in Libya. As such, it is critical to provide education and work opportunities for young people and enabling Libyan women to play an active role in building and developing their society.

It is also key to ensure the preservation and fair distribution of Libyan wealth in line with Libya’s interests and in benefice to its people. This includes preserving frozen Libyan assets which must remain valuable assets for future generations. We reiterate here our previous calls to insulate oil and financial sectors from political polarization and preserving their unity and integrity.

In conclusion, we stress the need to complete the national reconciliation process, which must be comprehensive and inclusive and not exclude anyone. The UAE will continue to support all efforts focused on achieving security and stability in Libya and the Arab region, which urgently needs to end its complex crises. This issue has become more urgent today than ever. The Israeli aggression on the Gaza Strip ignites more regional tensions, and we must make all possible efforts to preserve the progress achieved towards finding peaceful solutions in the countries of the region, including Libya.

Thank you, Madam President.