Statement by the Republic of Slovenia at the UNSC meeting on the situation in Libya

I thank Special Representative Tetteh and the Representative of Somalia as the 1970 Committee Chair for their briefings, and I welcome the Representative of Libya to the meeting.

At the outset, Slovenia welcomes the unanimous adoption in October of Resolution 2796, renewing UNSMIL’s mandate for one year. UNSMIL is a critical stabilising presence in Libya and its role remains especially relevant as work to overcome the political stalemate continues.

Resolution 2796 builds on the findings of the Strategic Assessment and welcomes the Political Roadmap announced by the Special Representative in August. Special Representative Tetteh, you can count on Slovenia’s continued support for your steadfast efforts, even as our membership of the Council comes to an end.

It is vital now that all actors galvanize behind the work to revive a Libyan-led and owned political process, as mandated by this Council – bringing an end to the transition phase, reunifying state institutions, and delivering long overdue elections.

This responsibility ultimately lies with Libya’s leaders. We regret that agreement has not yet been reached to lay the initial foundations for national elections. All sides must now swiftly move forward on configuration of the High National Elections Commission and amendment to the country’s electoral framework. Any attempts to stall or to spoil this process, whether internal or external, would be unacceptable.

Colleagues,

While progress at the political level is stalled, the Libyan people remain hungry for their voices to be heard. We welcome the Structured Dialogue launched just a few days ago in Tripoli, bringing together Libyans from across the country and diverse backgrounds, with international support from the Follow-Up Committee of the Berlin Process.

As we mark the tenth anniversary of the Youth, Peace and Security agenda, it is particularly significant that Libyan youth representatives participated in this inaugural session. With Libya’s youth making up 38 % of total population, they stand to lose or to gain the most from the decisions made today. Without their input, no outcome can be sustainable.

We furthermore welcome the establishment of a Libyan Women’s Caucus. Slovenia continues to support a process that is inclusive and respects the rights of all Libyans.

Turning to economic issues, we were encouraged by the recent agreement between the House of Representatives and the High Council of State on a Unified Development Program. This is a welcome step and shows what can be achieved when divisions between east and west are set aside in the national interest. We hope that this can ultimately lead to a Unified National Budget. Given how interconnected political and economic issues are, we also support the decision to establish a dedicated economic section within UNSMIL.   

Finally,

While we welcome the relative stability that has held in Tripoli in recent months, we do not underestimate the potential for escalation in a very fragile context.

The adoption of Resolution 2804 in November, extending authorisations for inspections of vessels on the high seas off the coast of Libya, remains a useful tool to support implementation of the arms embargo. EU Operation IRINI continues to play its part, and we encourage others to do the same.

We reiterate our call for all actors to refrain from unilateral actions, and to take courageous steps to build consensus and to finally make a diplomatic breakthrough, for the benefit of the Libyan people. The Security Council and the international community should remain united towards achieving this objective.

Recent Statements