YouSaid · the spoken record

Elsonni

lines on the record: 293
first: 2020-01-30
most recent: 2023-11-08
sittings or episodes: 25
sources: un-security-council

Every line below is reproduced as it was said and linked to the record it came from. Nothing here is summarised or generated. Directory · Search · Corrections

“We call on the ICC to move quickly in that regard, just as it has responded quickly to other recent conflicts. Those being killed in Gaza and the West Bank are people too. They are innocent and deserve justice. The ICC’s credibility is now at stake, and there are some around the world who doubt its capabilities. The issue is not the number of cases the ICC is considering. What matters is how many cases are completed and how many suspects are apprehended and brought to justice. History will judge, and there can be no peace without justice.”
2023-11-08 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.9469 (2023) · source
“Khan visited the Rafah border crossing on 29 October. He wanted to enter Gaza but was either unable to do so or was prevented. Despite that, he could see the tragic situation. He said that the people of Gaza deserve the same justice as any other people and that we must do something to put an end to the catastrophic situation in Gaza. Today, 10 days after his visit to Rafah, the numbers of the victims have increased enormously and the suffering has doubled. Are those not war crimes, crimes against humanity and genocide, in the view of the ICC? And if not, what are they? We urge the Prosecutor to take swift practical measures in line with his principles and statements in order to hold accountable those who are perpetrating massacres in full view of the world.”
2023-11-08 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.9469 (2023) · source
“We therefore feel obliged to take this opportunity to highlight the situation in Gaza and the grave acts of aggression and violations being perpetrated by the Israeli occupation forces. We are now in a second month of the aggression there. So far nearly 11,000 civilians have lost their lives, including 4,500 children, and another 2,000 are still under the rubble. Besides that, 72 United Nations staff members, 31 journalists and hundreds of medical personnel have been killed. More than 1.5 million people have been displaced. Water, fuel, food, electricity and humanitarian assistance have been cut off. Bakeries have been destroyed. Hospitals and United Nations offices have been bombed. Nearly half of the city of Gaza, known as the largest open-air prison in the world, has been destroyed. Today it is a tomb for children. Mr.”
2023-11-08 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.9469 (2023) · source
“The Libyan judiciary has deep roots and is not a newly established institution. We stress that supporting stability in Libya and finding a comprehensive political solution to the current crisis are the best ways to administer justice and ensure accountability and the rule of law. We cannot separate the political situation, our society’s ongoing division and the failure of the international community, especially the Security Council, from the current situation and the crimes committed during the crisis in my country. In conclusion, today’s meeting is about Libya, and the Prosecutor of the ICC is here with us. We are talking about administering justice, the rule of law and accountability.”
2023-11-08 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.9469 (2023) · source
“It is independent, and Libya’s Public Prosecutor is capable of investigating and determining the truth and has indeed done so in several cases. We have technical investigation teams that can address disputes. Cases have been subject to investigation and we have been able to apprehend suspects, refer them to national courts and see sentences handed down by those courts. We have been able to complete investigations of crimes related to the trafficking of persons locally and internationally, currency smuggling and the mass graves in Tarhuna. What we are asking today is for the ICC to share the results of its work with us so as to help us apprehend those who are still at large and try them under our national jurisdiction. We cannot remain under the mandate of the ICC indefinitely.”
2023-11-08 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.9469 (2023) · source
“We reaffirm that Libya is committed to holding accountable and punishing all who perpetrated crimes and violations according to our national laws, sooner or later and despite the challenges. Achieving justice on Libyan soil is a sovereign duty and part of our national jurisdiction, and we remain committed to that. The Libyan judiciary is committed to fair and impartial trials for all suspects, however long it takes. The crimes perpetrated are not subject to any statutes of limitations. We stress once again that our cooperation with the ICC according to its mandate is complementary to the work of the Libyan judiciary and not a substitute for it. The Libyan judiciary is capable of rendering verdicts on cases before it.”
2023-11-08 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.9469 (2023) · source
“We do not understand why the ICC’s progress has been so slow when we have seen it show record speed in determining the names of accused persons in other international cases and demanding their surrender to the Court. At the previous briefing we welcomed the efforts of Mr. Khan and his team and the strategy that he prepared (see S/PV.9320). We also welcomed his visit to Libya last year and considered it evidence of improved cooperation between Libyan authorities and the ICC, especially for assessing the situation on the ground and listening to the families of the victims. We especially appreciated his visit to Tarhuna, accompanied by officials from the Libyan Prosecutor’s Office, to witness the tragedy of the mass graves there.”
2023-11-08 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.9469 (2023) · source
“That is leading the Libyan people to ask when they will see results from the ICC. After all the years of investigations and exchanges of information, evidence and clues mentioned in the Prosecutor’s report, where are the results? Twelve years and 26 briefings to the Council, and today Mr. Khan spoke about approximately 15 missions, 4,000 clues and pieces of evidence and the use of artificial intelligence. The important question remains. Where are the results? Why, for instance, have the names of those involved in the crime of the mass graves in Tarhuna not been revealed? In his last briefing six months ago (see S/PV.9320), Mr. Khan informed us that he had handed down indictments a while back, yet we have seen no results.”
2023-11-08 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.9469 (2023) · source
“Mr. Elsonni (Libya) (spoke in Arabic): At the outset, I would like to congratulate you, Mr. President, on China’s assumption of the presidency of the Security Council for this month, and to wish you every success. I also thank Mr. Karim Khan for his briefing and for his twenty-sixth report, of which we have taken note. My remarks today will be brief and perhaps repetitive, given that while we appreciate the efforts of Mr. Khan and his team, there is frankly nothing new to say, since as far as Libyans can tell, there has been no movement in the case of Libya before the International Criminal Court (ICC) for years now. That has held true not only during Mr. Khan’s tenure but during that of his predecessors as well. We have alternated between feeling that the status quo is being deliberately prolonged or that the case is being politicized.”
2023-11-08 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.9469 (2023) · source
“The question today is whether this collective punishment con- stitutes genocide or not. It seems that the Council is wait- ing for another Rwanda, in contravention of all human and ethical values as well as international humanitarian law. Unfortunately, human rights have ceased to be respected.”
2023-10-18 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.9443 (2023) · source
“Mr. Elsonni (Libya) (spoke in Arabic): At the outset, Libya aligns itself with the statement made by the Am- bassador of Jordan on behalf of the Group of Arab States, as well as the statement just made by the Ambassador of Oman on behalf of the Gulf Cooperation Council. I would like to express Libya and the Libyan people’s strongest possible condemnation of the atrocious, brutal aggression committed by the occupation forces against Al Ahli Hospital in Gaza City yesterday, an act perpetrated by a murderous and abhorrent machine that boasts about its power and the unlimited support it receives. It has killed hundreds of innocent martyrs, including women, chil- dren, the sick and medical personnel. The people of Gaza have been subjected to a horrible crime of genocide.”
2023-10-18 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.9443 (2023) · source
“In order to start to address the root causes of the current crisis and its consequences, we must immediately address three issues: an immediate ceasefire, allowing access for humanitarian assistance and ending any attempts to displace the Gaza residents. No one wants another Nakba. That position and those three requirements have been expressed as the unified Arab position, and today I convey it to the Council. We hope that the draft resolution before the Council will address those points. In this Chamber, we reaffirm Libya’s firm and unified position towards the just Palestinian question, which all the Libyan people consider as their primary cause. They can see a solution for it only if it is based on justice, the restoration of Palestinian rights and the establishment of an independent Palestinian State with Jerusalem as its capital.”
2023-10-16 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.9438 (2023) · source
“The killing of unarmed innocent civilians is unacceptable and condemned by all customs and religions. However, the peoples of the world are following the same double standard that is being followed by many States, conflating the victim with the aggressor and the right to self-defence with resistance against occupation. The Palestinian question cannot be reduced to the events of 7 October. We must take a comprehensive view of the roots of the conflict, the continued violations, the injustice, the settlements and the destruction of the dream for peace. That has been going on for 75 years, in addition to the blockade of the Gaza Strip, the world’s largest open-air prison. The residents of Gaza have become desperate, and whoever is born there is born dead.”
2023-10-16 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.9438 (2023) · source
“We can never ignore the screams of women, children and innocent civilians in the Gaza Strip caused by killing, shelling and siege, as well as the cutting off of water and electricity while preventing humanitarian assistance and undertaking attempts to impose forced displacement. The question on everyone’s mind is: where are human rights and the protection of civilians today in Gaza? Are those not war crimes and crimes against humanity under international law? Does collective punishment not amount to genocide? Is the Council waiting for another Rwanda? Today hospitals are being deprived of electricity and water, and they will soon turn into mass cemeteries. The bloodbath that has gone on for decades and affected thousands of innocent people must end.”
2023-10-16 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.9438 (2023) · source
“Hindering those funds and assets would be a violation of relevant Security Council resolutions. As for the individual sanctions, we hope that the positive initiatives of some members of the Council will be built upon in dealing with this file, and that Libya’s repeated requests to remove the names of a number of individuals from the list will be met, whether for humanitarian reasons or because there were no grounds for their listing. We must cease to politicize that issue. In conclusion, even though this is a meeting to discuss the situation in Libya and even though we have tried to make our voice heard by the Council, there is no voice louder today than the voice of the Palestinian people and their suffering.”
2023-10-16 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.9438 (2023) · source
“With respect to the funds and frozen assets, as well as our requests to allow the Libyan Investment Authority to manage those frozen assets, it is important to reiterate the need for the Sanctions Committee and the Investment Authority to cooperate and agree on the mechanisms required to manage those frozen assets, with a view to avoiding more losses, erosion and the exploitation of the situation by certain countries. Such a draft resolution is presumed to seek to protect and preserve the wealth of Libyans, not to punish them. In that regard, we would also like to reiterate that the assets and funds of the Libyan Investment Authority must not be forced into any issues or cases involving compensation or other issues. The Authority is independent and sovereign.”
2023-10-16 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.9438 (2023) · source
“That requires the creation of appropriate conditions and support for the High National Electoral Commission to enable it to hold free and fair presidential and parliamentary elections with results that are accepted as soon as possible, thereby ending all transitional stages and divisions while fulfilling the aspirations of the Libyan people, who have suffered from the vicious circle of events and the current situation. We have closely followed the negotiations on the draft resolution on the renewal of sanctions on Libya. In that context, we would like to reiterate the importance and legitimacy of our repeated demands to the Sanctions Committee with respect to the frozen assets and the list of sanctions imposed on individuals.”
2023-10-16 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.9438 (2023) · source
“We reiterate our call to the international community to continue to support Libya in overcoming the impact of the unprecedented crisis and to effectively participate in development efforts and reconstruction in the affected cities. We listened to Mr. Bathily’s briefing on the political developments and the efforts to overcome the political crisis and the accompanying challenges, the latest of which was the aftermath of the adoption by the House of Representatives of the electoral law and the subsequent observations and disagreements of the different political actors. It is therefore important to quickly address the pending issues through a clear mechanism and to a set time frame in which the laws should be implemented.”
2023-10-16 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.9438 (2023) · source
“Through a governmental crisis committee and coordination with the High State Council, the institutions of the eastern region and its crisis committees, including the local authorities and municipalities there, the Government of National Unity responded rapidly to the disaster, mobilizing all its capacity to provide the needed assistance and support for those affected and their regions. In that regard, following a plea from the Head of the Presidential Council for the support of the international community, with coordination to be provided by the Government, we would like to thank all the States and international organizations that have provided us with assistance and support to address the disaster, in the form of rescue teams and other assistance.”
2023-10-16 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.9438 (2023) · source
“Despite the current situation in the country, the disaster did not stand in the way of solidarity among all the Libyan people. We have witnessed their altruism and their ability to overcome all their political differences. Aid and relief convoys have been sent from many cities to support those affected, revealing the true nature of the Libyan people and their strong national solidarity. That sent a message to all political parties to unite and overcome the current crisis.”
2023-10-16 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.9438 (2023) · source
“Mr. Elsonni (Libya) (spoke in Arabic): At the outset, I congratulate Brazil on its assumption of the presidency of the Security Council for this month and thank Mr. Bathily and Mr. Ishikane for their briefings. I also want to thank the members of the Council for all their words of sympathy and condolence to the Libyan people. Five weeks have passed since the tragedy that befell us through the floods and torrents that struck several areas in eastern Libya, especially the city of Derna, and in which thousands were killed. We are still finding bodies, weeks later, and we have continued to search for missing persons. The catastrophe is unprecedented in the modern history of Libya. We also lost many rescue teams, including from among the Red Crescent, military personnel and others who were some of the first to respond to the disaster.”
2023-10-16 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.9438 (2023) · source
“The Islamic religion will never be affected by such acts. They will only fuel violence and threaten social peace and even international peace and security. Those who benefit from such acts are extremists and terrorists and their supporters and all those who exploit such acts to justify their crimes in the name of Islam while Islam is completely innocent. The Islamic religion is far from hate, radicalization and extremism. It is a religion of mercy, tolerance, coexistence and peace.”
2023-08-22 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.9402 (2023) · source
“Before concluding, I must reiterate from this rostrum the strong indignation of Libya and the dissatisfaction of the Libyan people with regard to the acts carried out by some hard-core individuals from the far right in Europe who are burning copies of the Holy Qur’an, as we have seen recently in Denmark in front of the Libyan Embassy and, before that, in Sweden, while their countries look on. That is a desperate attempt to provoke Muslims under the pretext of freedom of expression. Those acts come at a time when all of us, pursuant to international resolutions, are combating the phenomenon of Islamophobia. We therefore call on all concerned States to put an end to that kind of act and support awareness among their citizens and not allow double standards with regard to freedom of expression.”
2023-08-22 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.9402 (2023) · source
“The position of Libya is clear and unambiguous and has been reflected in recent statements made by the President of the Presidential Council, the Head of Government and the law enacted by the House of Representatives, all of which underscore Libya’s categorical rejection of the establishment of such a settlement, which certain States would unfortunately like to see in an attempt to exploit my country’s current situation so as to settle irregular migrants and asylum seekers whose truly desired destination is actually Europe, not Libya. Despite all challenges, Libya has spared no effort to ensure the protection of migrants on its territories. We are pursuing the implementation of a voluntary return programme of those migrants, in cooperation with the relevant United Nations organizations.”
2023-08-22 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.9402 (2023) · source
“A stable Libya will be able to address that despite all outstanding challenges and will be able to support its neighbours once its current political crisis has been resolved. In that regard, the increase in tensions and instability is undermining my country’s efforts to deal with the issue of irregular migration and its causes and effects. It is worth noting once again that the attempts to impose the settlement of migrants in Libya will be rejected.”
2023-08-22 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.9402 (2023) · source
“Libya is not immune from events related to the current political and security events in neighbouring countries, as we have seen with regard to increased fighting in the Sudan and the recent crisis in the Niger, which might spread in the region, especially in the African Sahel. It is incumbent upon all to step up their support for the Libyans in order to end the current crisis and halt all negative foreign interference to prevent the conflict from worsening and spiralling out of control. The current events in Libya’s neighbouring States provide an opportunity for terrorist groups and criminal networks to ratchet up their operations and threaten the region and every State in the world.”
2023-08-22 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.9402 (2023) · source
“The Committee has thus far convened four meetings, in several Libyan cities, and has made various practical recommendations to strengthen the Government’s transparent policy on public spending. At its first meeting, held in Sirte, the Committee underscored the importance of pursuing development projects in the oil sector, reforms involving the electric grid and infrastructure projects in every region. In that context, two days ago marked a positive development when the Governor and Deputy Governor of the Central Bank of Libya announced its reunification, a long-awaited and important step towards strengthening the activities of that sovereign and important institution and ending the years-long division.”
2023-08-22 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.9402 (2023) · source
“In the same context, we call upon the international community to provide technical support to the High National Elections Commission so that it will be ready to proceed once the electoral laws have been enacted. In that regard, we note that the Government is continuing to allocate all financial resources requested by the Commission to hold the elections. We have recently been following the establishment of the high committee on financial oversight by the Presidential Council, the members of which represent all sovereign and executive bodies of the State. The committee seeks to reach a compromise on financial arrangements and managing State resources and public spending throughout the country, on the basis of information-sharing and transparency.”
2023-08-22 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.9402 (2023) · source
“Achieving that goal requires the participation of all stakeholders in seeking a comprehensive solution that ensures everyone’s commitment. The motivation must be based on peaceful political competition and the holding of presidential and legislative elections as soon as possible, not by making the same past mistakes and launching new transition phases. We must build on the achievements of the 6+6 committee, made up of members of the High State Council and the House of Representatives. Pending issues must be resolved. The political, legal and technical issues that were raised to the committee must be taken into account. Just and equitable electoral laws must be enacted according to a time frame in order to guarantee comprehensive, transparent and credible elections that their outcome will be accepted by all.”
2023-08-22 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.9402 (2023) · source
“The Libyan people are asking the High State Council and the House of Representatives to demonstrate political will and shoulder their historic responsibility, as the problem in Libya is not a legal but a purely political one. The two bodies must fulfil their duty and accelerate the enactment of just and applicable laws that are acceptable to all parties so that the Government can oversee the holding of elections as soon as possible to restore the legitimacy of all political bodies to meet the aspirations of Libyans for stability and prosperity, adequately build State institutions, reunify the military and security institutions, ensure the State’s exclusive power over the armed forces, enforce laws and protect citizens.”
2023-08-22 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.9402 (2023) · source
“The hesitation and indecision that characterizes the political process and the absence of radical solutions to the crisis in Libya will only create further crises and undermine efforts to reform the security sector and reunify the military institutions. Those incidents and others are not the first of their kind. We have seen similar incidents in various other regions of Libya over the past years. But we are fearful that, if the political impasse continues, they will not be the last of their kind either. The most recent security-related tensions must not be allowed to undermine the peacebuilding and democratization process in Libya but must send a warning signal to all parties to maintain stability and to commit to dialogue.”
2023-08-22 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.9402 (2023) · source
“The stable situation has also contributed to the reopening of a large number of foreign embassies and consulates and the resumption of several foreign airlines’ flights to Libyan airports. That has been coupled with measures taken by the Presidential Council concerning intra-Libyan reconciliation in cooperation with the African Union, together with the convening shortly of a national conference on reconciliation. Despite all of that, the delay in finding a solution to and achieving consensus on the enactment of electoral laws by the relevant institutions, the holding of elections and efforts to end the fragile transitional phase has given rise to increased tensions among stakeholders in Libya. The unfortunate incidents that took place few days ago in the capital, Tripoli, and tragically led to dozens of casualties attest to that.”
2023-08-22 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.9402 (2023) · source
“We therefore reiterate today our request to the international community to support national efforts and prevent spoilers within and outside the country from depriving the Libyan people of their right to maintain stability, which has been achieved over the past two years following a series of bloody wars, in order to ensure the realization of a peaceful transition of power to be enjoyed and defended by the Libyan people. Despite the challenges related to the democratic transition phase that Libya is currently experiencing, we have seen stability in terms of economic and living conditions in the country. The Government of National Unity has been able to address major issues related to citizens’ daily lives, such as the energy and electricity issue and maintaining oil production, while even increasing its output.”
2023-08-22 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.9402 (2023) · source
“That is why the current political situation will not allow for us to launch new processes and dialogues that will only prolong the transition phase. The solution lies in the strong and genuine will of all parties to overcome the crisis caused by the lack of trust among them. The leadership must be genuinely Libyan-owned to end the transition phase through the holding of national elections on the basis of just and equitable laws.”
2023-08-22 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.9402 (2023) · source
“We also have made other requests, including on the mechanism for dealing with the frozen Libyan assets, which we have already discussed at length. We hope that the Committee will be able to review this issue and safeguard the assets and funds belonging to Libyans. We listened to Ms. Noura Al Jerbi and would like to thank her for her briefing today. The different challenges that she mentioned illustrate that many of them can only be solved through complete stability in Libya. Libyans today are more determined than ever to preserve the stability of their country and prevent a return to political divisions and war. They hope to lay solid foundations upon which they will safely navigate the phase of democratic transition that my country has experienced for more than 10 years.”
2023-08-22 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.9402 (2023) · source
“Mr. Elsonni (Libya) (spoke in Arabic): At the outset, I would like to congratulate you, Madam President, on the United States presidency of the Security Council this month. I would also like to thank Mr. Bathily for his briefing, in which he demonstrated the scale of the challenges that my country is facing and underscored at the same time the shared responsibility of the Council with respect to what is happening. I would also like to thank the Chair of the Security Council Committee established pursuant to resolution 1970 (2011) concerning Libya for his briefing. We hope that he will be able to take into consideration the requests that we have made in relation to the list of sanctions imposed on individuals owing to the fact that the list contains names that should no longer be featured on it.”
2023-08-22 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.9402 (2023) · source
“If they are allowed to take over, we will be able, through a collective national effort, to overcome the crisis, achieve reconciliation, bridge the gap and restore to Libya the international position that it deserves.”
2023-06-19 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.9351 (2023) · source
“In conclusion, and as stated in previous briefings, although we are witnessing relative stability across the regions of our country, and notwithstanding our optimism, we would still like to convey the calls of the Libyan citizens to the Security Council to end all negative interference in our internal affairs. We call on the Council not to use the situation in Libya as grounds for settling political scores. We need the Council to support the Libyan national will, end the divisions and achieve stability based on true Libyan ownership and leadership. We greatly believe in our people, particularly Libyan youth, who, in the last 12 years, have become more mature and knowledgeable.”
2023-06-19 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.9351 (2023) · source
“We are confident that our brothers in Lebanon will cooperate with us through the committee established by the Presidential Council, the National Unity Gov- ernment, Libyan institutions and friendly countries to find an immediate solution to this crisis. The positive engagement of the Security Council with the cases of detained Libyan citizens sends a hopeful message and bolsters efforts led by the Presidential Council and the African Union to foster national reconciliation, for which Council members have repeatedly expressed their support.”
2023-06-19 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.9351 (2023) · source
“I would also ask how keeping these individuals listed are protecting human rights. For instance, Council members are aware of the dire humanitarian situation of citizen Hannibal Al-Qadhafi, who started a hunger strike two weeks ago. He has been forcibly detained in a prison by certain groups in Lebanon for nine years now. He has been tortured and humiliated for illogical and unjustified political reasons. Unfortunately, some are using the fact that he is on the sanctions list to justify his detention. We therefore call on the Council to ask the Lebanese Government to release Mr. Al-Qadhafi immediately and end this inhumane situation.”
2023-06-19 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.9351 (2023) · source
“We are not asking the Council to lift the assets freeze, but to give us, at the very least, the free- dom to manage our own assets, even if they are frozen. With regard to the sanctions regime, and specifically to the sanctions on individuals, Council members know that Libya has submitted requests to remove the names of some individuals from the sanctions list for humanitarian reasons or because keeping them on those lists was no longer justified. However, our requests have not been satisfactorily answered, nor did we receive a logical or clear explanation for that failure. Keeping those individuals on the sanctions list is exacerbating their humanitarian plight. Accordingly, I would ask whether those individuals — among there are women — are in fact threatening international peace and security.”
2023-06-19 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.9351 (2023) · source
“It worked with Deloitte auditors, and it recently asked Ernst and Young to verify the status of the assets and ensure transparency. What else could we do? Unfortunately, things are becoming even more complicated because some countries are using certain paragraphs, or even language in reports of the Panel of Experts — and we all know that those reports are not necessarily binding, as they are just opinions by the Panel — to keep the Libyan assets frozen without any legal justification. We have had a very disheartening ex- perience with Belgium in that regard. We therefore call on the Sanctions Committee to reconsider the regime and allow, as we have repeatedly requested, the Libyan Investment Authority to invest and manage Libya’s fro- zen assets.”
2023-06-19 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.9351 (2023) · source
“Unfortunately, during this period, the role of the Sanctions Committee and its Panel of Experts has changed many times — from monitoring the implementation resolution 1970 (2011) to managing the Libyan Investment Authority and its methods of work, asking it to adopt certain strategies and assessing its performance and building its capacity. We do not believe these roles fall within the Committee’s competency and mandate, as if the Authority had only been established today. Nevertheless, the Libyan Investment Authority responded to all the demands it received and elaborated strategies to fulfil its plan of action. It also reviewed the status of assets frozen by seeking help from international companies and was able to show that the assets were indeed being depleted.”
2023-06-19 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.9351 (2023) · source
“I would like to comment on the nature of those sanctions, their objective and their effectiveness, especially with regard to the asset freeze and the sanctions imposed on individuals. We all know the conditions that led to the freezing of the Libyan assets and the funds of the Libyan Investment Authority in 2011. The purpose was to protect Libyan wealth, but we also witnessed the measures subsequently taken by several countries that show how the issue has been politicized for the past 12 years, leading to enormous losses and the depletion of those funds. Some countries preferred to continue imposing the asset freeze in order to earn interest on the funds deposited in their banks. Such measures, which were previously unheard of in the context of the United Nations sanctions, have affected the sovereignty of our national institutions.”
2023-06-19 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.9351 (2023) · source
“In that context, the Government reiterates its support of United Nations efforts and its willingness to spare no effort to guarantee the success of the elections. Despite all the challenges my country is facing on the political track, we should always remember the efforts that are being made by the Joint Military Commission in order to guarantee stability and defuse tensions. We remain hopeful and commend the national spirit that has prevailed in their meetings, especially the most recent one held in Tunisia, in order to follow up on the implementation of the ceasefire agreement. That meeting culminated again with a call to the entire Libyan people to put an end to all foreign presence on Libyan territories. We listened to the statement of the Chair of the 1970 Committee and to the outcomes of the Panel of Experts.”
2023-06-19 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.9351 (2023) · source
“That has been repeatedly borne out. We therefore recall the importance of what Mr. Bathily has repeated time and again — that he will be working with the relevant Libyan institutions and the Presidential Council and will engage with the various political stakeholders in order to resolve outstanding issues and help reach consensual laws that would allow us to organize free and fair elections. In the same context, we welcome the response of the United Nations to the request made by the President of the Government of National Unity to send a team to assess our needs to organize elections. The team has already met several stakeholders in Libya, and we are looking forward to their report, comments and observations.”
2023-06-19 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.9351 (2023) · source
“Despite the efforts of the 6+6 committee, we have received objections on some of the outcomes of their work. We therefore call on all parties to positively contribute to settling those issues. We call on the United Nations, as a facilitator, to help us tackle those differences expeditiously. We are confident that with the necessary goodwill, we can overcome that vicious circle and start building a stable State. The Libyans are in a state of anger and frustration. They see that the dream of holding elections is fizzling for the second time. I therefore ask the Council not to give up on them. Today, as I address the Council and ask it not to give up on the Libyan people, it is because many countries are directly intervening in the Libyan political decision. The slogan of a Libyan-led and -owned process is just a slogan, unfortunately.”
2023-06-19 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.9351 (2023) · source
“In that context, I would like to thank the Kingdom of Morocco for hosting the committee meetings and for providing us with an environment conducive to conducting the intra-Libyan dialogue. If we are to objectively and responsibly deal with the current situation and respond to the aspirations of the Libyan people to a dignified life, prosperity and development, it is important to ensure the success of the democratic process. We should avoid repeating the failed experiences of the past. The Libyan people are tired of them and of coming up with new transitional stages that would once again bring about a new conflict of power. We must consider the concerns and reservations of the various parties. We have heard some of those concerns in Mr. Bathily’s briefing and in today’s statements.”
2023-06-19 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.9351 (2023) · source
“In that context, we have followed the work of the 6+6 committee and of the House of Representatives and their agreements, as well as the different reactions to said agreements and the challenges they met. It is therefore important to tackle the outstanding issues and settle them. It is equally important to consult with the committee and with the other national and political leaders and the relevant institutions in order to guarantee continued stability and provide an enabling environment, as well as to adopt a timeline for the parliamentary and presidential elections to be held this year. The elections should be fair, transparent and based on equitable and fair legislation. That is indeed achievable. The elections do not seek to marginalize anyone, and they should be accepted and conclude all the transitional stages.”
2023-06-19 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.9351 (2023) · source
“Mr. Elsonni (Libya) (spoke in Arabic): At the outset, I would like to congratulate you, Mr. President, on assuming the presidency of the Security Council during this month, and I wish you every success in your endeavours. I also thank the Ambassador of Japan, His Excellency Mr. Ishikane, for his briefing as Chair of the Committee established pursuant to resolution 1970 (2011) concerning Libya. I also thank Ms. Imneina for her statement, especially as she represents one of the segments of civil society in Libya. We listened to the briefing of Mr. Bathily as he went over the challenges facing my country, Libya. According to the previously adopted timeline, by the end of this month we were supposed to conclude all consultations to issue the legislation necessary to conduct the elections by the end of the year.”
2023-06-19 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.9351 (2023) · source