YouSaid · the spoken record

Salamé

lines on the record: 281
first: 2017-08-28
most recent: 2020-01-30
sittings or episodes: 15
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

“I am appalled by the apparent disregard for the due protection of personnel engaging in vital medical tasks and recall that attacks against health workers constitute a serious violation of international humanitarian law. We are also deeply concerned about the sharp increase in abductions, disappearances and arbitrary arrests since the start of the current conflict. At least seven officials and employees have been arbitrarily detained or kidnapped in eastern and western Libya. The fate of all those individuals remains unknown, and there may be others who have disappeared under similar circumstances. Journalists also face increasing threats, intimidation and violence, often in connection with reporting on the conflict.”
2019-05-21 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.8530 (2019) · source
“Ramadan nights, normally convivially spent in the company of one's neighbours and family, have become periods of sheer terror for the residents of the capital, waiting in fear for the next attack. Since mid-April there has been a rising number of night-time precision strikes on Government of National Accord positions in and around Tripoli by unknown aircraft, averaging five a night. On May 8 an ammunition depot belonging to the Government of National Accord-aligned Janzour Knights was hit in an airstrike that was within a kilometre of the United Nations compound where we work and live. The large number of casualties has overburdened the already weakened health facilities struggling with shortages of medical personnel and supplies. Eleven ambulances were directly hit by airstrikes, rockets and shelling while on duty.”
2019-05-21 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.8530 (2019) · source
“The blatant and televised breach of the arms embargo by the apparent delivery of a large quantity of weapons and armoured vehicles to Government of National Accord forces in Tripoli a few days ago comes on the heels of earlier and ongoing deliveries of banned modern weaponry to the Libyan National Army. Many countries are providing weapons to all parties in the conflict without exception. The amount and sophistication of such weapons are already causing greater numbers of casualties. Without a robust enforcement mechanism, the arms embargo on Libya will become a cynical joke. Some nations are fuelling this bloody conflict; the United Nations should put an end to it. The conflict has been characterized by the use of airstrikes, heavy artillery and the indiscriminate shelling of residential areas.”
2019-05-21 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.8530 (2019) · source
“In addition to the innocent Libyans being ruthlessly subjected to the increasing terror of Da'esh, there will be a spillover of this violence to Libya's immediate neighbours. There are numerous reports of extremists, persons under international sanctions and individuals wanted by the International Criminal Court (ICC) appearing on the battlefield on all sides. All parties must publicly disassociate themselves from such elements without delay and refer to the ICC those for whom arrest warrants have been issued. I recommend that the Council support the formation of a commission of inquiry to determine who has taken up arms and that it also support the establishment of mechanisms to ensure the exclusion of unwanted elements. No less worrying is the fact that arms are pouring in again to all sides.”
2019-05-21 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.8530 (2019) · source
“The security vacuum created by the withdrawal of many of General Haftar's troops from the south, coupled with the focus of the western forces on the defence of the capital, is already being exploited by Da'esh and Al-Qaida. In the south of Libya, the black flags of Da'esh are appearing, and I am dismayed to report that since April 4, there have been four separate Da'esh attacks in the south of Libya: two attacks in Ghodwa, one in Sebha and one just a few days ago in Zella. The cumulative toll of the attacks has been 17 killed, more than 10 wounded and eight kidnapped. Libyan forces that had in the past courageously defended their country against these terrorist groups are now busy fighting one another.”
2019-05-21 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.8530 (2019) · source
“At those talks there had been a real opportunity to replace the Government of National Accord in Tripoli, dissolve the parallel Government in Al-Bayda and create an inclusive, unified national Government that would have shepherded the country through the election process to the end of the transitional period. The understandings reached in Abu Dhabi had also placed the military under civilian control, a key demand of the vast majority of Libyans and many in the international community. I am no Cassandra, but the violence on the outskirts of Tripoli is just the start of a long and bloody war on the southern shores of the Mediterranean, imperilling the security of Libya's immediate neighbours and the wider Mediterranean region.”
2019-05-21 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.8530 (2019) · source
“There was great public excitement about what the conference could yield in terms of a way forward to end Libya's eight- year-long period of transition and usher in a new period of stability and security through the ballot box. To see those who had enthusiastically accepted our invitation to Ghadames suddenly take up arms against one another, to attack the capital or to defend it, has plunged me into the deepest level of sadness for the opportunity lost and for a hope killed exactly 10 days before its realization. The attack on Tripoli also imperilled the potential of the talks that had been held on 27 February in Abu Dhabi between Prime Minister Serraj and General Haftar, the sixth of its kind between them.”
2019-05-21 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.8530 (2019) · source
“United Nations humanitarian agencies have been working around the clock to transfer the most vulnerable from the conflict-affected areas to safer locations, and I am very, very proud of their work. When the Secretary-General visited Libya on 3 April, his visit was intended to show the full support of the international community for the peaceful resolution of Libya's long period of upheaval. The capital was enjoying a measure of increased security and the population a much more stable currency and an improved economic outlook, and the political process, despite many obstacles, was moving forward. Indeed, we were on the eve of hosting the national conference in the Libyan city of Ghadames, an event that would have brought together more than 150 Libyans from across the country.”
2019-05-21 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.8530 (2019) · source
“The consequences and the risks of the conflict are already painfully clear, especially for the Libyan people: more than 460 dead, 29 of them civilians; more than 2,400 injured, the majority of them civilians; and more than 75,000 people forced from their homes, all of them civilians. More than half of the displaced are women and children. Humanitarian actors estimate that more than 100,000 men, women and children remain trapped in immediate frontline areas, with over 400,000 more in areas directly impacted by the clashes. While the conditions for migrants and refugees in Libya were already dire prior to the conflict, those conditions have now gone from bad to worse. Nearly 3,400 refugees and migrants are trapped in detention centres exposed to, or in close proximity to, the fighting.”
2019-05-21 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.8530 (2019) · source
“Mr. Salame: Let me start by wishing Ramadan Kareem to our Muslim colleagues on the occasion of the holy month of Ramadan. Allow also me to congratulate the Republic of Indonesia on its presidency of the Security Council this month. I am grateful for this opportunity to brief the Council in person on our work in Libya. This is the report that I have spent nearly all of the past two years trying to avoid delivering. Forty-eight days into the attack on Tripoli by General Haftar's forces, there has already been too much death and destruction. Libya is on the verge of descending into a civil war, which could lead to the permanent division of the country. The damage already done will take years to mend, and that is only if the war is ended now.”
2019-05-21 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.8530 (2019) · source
“I call on Libyans to come together and to avoid acts of obstruction and incitement. There has been a notable uptick in the weaponization of media platforms as tools of incitement. This is tearing at Libya's fragile but vital social fabric and could well be used to instigate violence. At this sensitive time, I call on all actors to refrain from the use of inflammatory and alienating rhetoric in the public sphere. I also call on all in the international community to put the interests of the Libyan people first and to act committedly and sincerely to pressure all parties to avoid conflict and conclude a peaceful formula to end the transitional period in Libya, for the sake of all of the Libyan people.”
2019-03-20 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.8488 (2019) · source
“But today, we have the ability to step back from the edge of this precipice. The national conference offers a crucial opportunity for all parties, without exception, to set aside their differences for the good of the country, to unite, to avoid war and to choose the path of peace and prosperity. The national conference will choose whether to endorse the national charter, which is the product ofthe national conference consultative process. It will also chart a road map to conclude the transitional period, either through simultaneous parliamentary and presidential elections or through phased elections. It will provide recommendations on how to deal with the draft constitution produced by the Constitution Drafting Assembly. The days ahead will prove to be foundational to the years ahead for Libyans and the region writ large.”
2019-03-20 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.8488 (2019) · source
“Ahead of the national conference, we are working with many parties to ensure as broad a buy-in as possible to the political process. What is clear is that the Libyan people fervently desire that their institutions be united as soon as possible. Unfortunately, they are up against powerful forces, which have materially profited from the country's chaos and division and are therefore loath to work towards a unification. There is much at stake. If the opportunity presented by the national conference is not seized, then we will be faced with only two possible options: prolonged stalemate or conflict. This stalemate may also ultimately lead to conflict or conflict may erupt much sooner. A failure now to advance the political process would demonstrate absolutely that the country is totally controlled by force of arms.”
2019-03-20 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.8488 (2019) · source
“It is now necessary for the government to provide the necessary operational funding for Commission to finalize preparations for elections. The Mission has been in steady contact with a number of countries and regional organizations, including the League of Arab States, the African Union (AU) and the European Union. I joined the Secretary- General at the African Union Summit and welcome the AU's interest in supporting the United Nations action plan. I am grateful for the support expressed for our efforts during the visit of Commissioner Chergui and Under-Secretary-General DiCarlo on 12 and 13 March. The national conference will be held from 14 to 16 April inside Libya. It represents a critical opportunity to end the transitional period, which began eight years ago.”
2019-03-20 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.8488 (2019) · source
“While important, these benefits may be short-lived without genuine economic reforms. Such reforms require a direct devaluation of the currency and the lifting of subsidies, which consume nearly 10 per cent of the national budget. Working with the two branches of the Central Bank of Libya, the national audit review process will soon begin. It is extremely positive that the Central Committee for Municipal Council Elections will start a new round of nine elections in the southern and western parts of Libya on 30 March. In this context, it is essential that there be only one body managing municipal elections. The High National Election Commission is preparing for national elections. We are pleased to see that the Commission, with the help of the United Nations and international partners, has finally now moved into its secure new headquarters.”
2019-03-20 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.8488 (2019) · source
“The 2019 humanitarian response plan for Libya was launched on 5 February, seeking $202 million to continue providing health care, protection, water and shelter to more than half a million of the most vulnerable people in Libya. An estimated 823,000 people, including migrants and 248,000 children, need humanitarian assistance in Libya. The situation of the economy is mixed. The reopening of the Sharara oil field, in which the United Nations played a crucial role, resulted in increased oil production, which is returning to 1.2 million barrels per day. The foreign currency exchange fee, in combination with the liberalization of the opportunity to purchase foreign currency, continues to generate revenue and strengthen the dinar. This has increased purchasing power and reduced inflation and the profitability of the black market for currency.”
2019-03-20 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.8488 (2019) · source
“I am encouraged by action taken to combat illegal smuggling. On 7 February, the public prosecution issued over 100 arrest warrants against individuals accused of involvement in smuggling and the illegal disposal of fuel, and ordered the confiscation of 115 fuel stations. This organized fuel smuggling amounts to more than $750 million annually. Overall, Libya's infrastructure continues to deteriorate at an alarming rate. Basic services, including in health care, water and electricity, are eroding. The situation of water production is particularly fragile. With nearly four wells being disabled every month, the western branch of the Great Man-Made River, which is the primary supplier of water to the north-west, is in imminent danger of collapse.”
2019-03-20 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.8488 (2019) · source
“Indeed, these talks are the continuation of the process that started in September 2017. What is new is the sincerity to turn these words into the end of the transitional period through elections. Let me now brief the Council on other developments and activities on the ground. I am pleased to announce that the United Nations hub in Benghazi is open. After many months ofits being almost open, United Nations staff are being deployed to Benghazi to better deliver across the east ofthe country. Discussion is now under way concerning a further hub in Sabha to support operations in the South of the country and United Nations programmes have also now visited Sabha for the first time since operations were halted there in 2013. In my previous briefings, I warned against the consequences of the economy of predation.”
2019-03-20 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.8488 (2019) · source
“The Tripoli ceasefire continues to hold, but the Greater Tripoli security arrangements plan remains only partially implemented The United Nations Support Mission in Libya has supported two rounds of preparatory talks between the advisers of Prime Minister Al-Serraj and General Haftar, which took place in our Tunis offices. As a result of those talks, the two leaders met in Abu Dhabi and agreed to a number of important principles. Libya shall be a civilian and democratically governed State that enjoys full civilian control of the military and a peaceful transition of power. The parties also agreed on the need to unify Libya's long-divided institutions and for the scheduling of national elections before the end of the year. Many of these principles are not new.”
2019-03-20 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.8488 (2019) · source
“That has led to friction and a rise in tensions, with forces from the town of Misrata who remain positioned in Sirte after their operations countering the Islamic State of Iraq and the Sham there. In the east, the fighting in Derna came to an end. I am deeply concerned by reports of violations of human rights and humanitarian law during the recent military operations in Derna. The fighting reportedly resulted in many civilian casualties. In the west of the country, local forces have mobilized in response to the current tensions. So far, such local mobilizations appear to be shows of force and no party appears imminently ready to launch an attack against any other. But there is a real risk of miscalculation or of extremist forces starting skirmishes in the hope of drawing others into a larger confrontation.”
2019-03-20 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.8488 (2019) · source
“When those forces moved to take control of Murzuq in the south-west, there was active opposition from the Tebu community and affiliated armed groups. In the fighting and in revenge attacks in the immediate aftermath, at least 18 residents of Murzuq were killed and a further 29 injured. Ninety homes were reported burned in revenge attacks by tribal forces under the command of the Libyan National Army. While the Libyan National Army has brought a large measure of security and stability to the south, which enabled the parallel bank in the east to deliver bank notes to Sabha, it is unclear how long the campaign can be sustained, given the long resupply lines and the limited financial resources of the parallel Government. There has been some mobilization of Libyan National Army forces in Jufra, as well as the conduct of patrols towards Sirte.”
2019-03-20 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.8488 (2019) · source
“At the outset, allow me to congratulate France on its assumption of the presidency of the Security Council. (spoke in English) I should have liked to be in New York and to have the opportunity to brief Council members in person. However, it is no exaggeration to say that the situation in Libya has reached a crucial juncture. We are working to prevent recent developments and tensions on the ground from escalating, and instead to pivot to stability and a political compact, which will enable an end to the crisis in the country. On 13 January, the forces of General Haftar peacefully entered Sabha. While there were some minor incidents, the arrival of Haftar's forces was generally perceived as a positive and stabilizing development.”
2019-03-20 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.8488 (2019) · source
“If that were to be allowed, Libya's progress would be set back years and would almost certainly open the door to those who believe that there is only a martial solution to Libya's woes. Vital counter-terrorism activities will continue to be hamstrung without the accompanying State-building that they need to be truly effective. The Council's support for our efforts and clear signals of resolve to the many potential spoilers are vital. As it is within the grasp of Council members, they the can provide the opportunity to ensure the success of the national conference and to make municipal, parliamentary and presidential elections a reality in order to foster Libya's transformation into a stable and secure State, based on unified bodies and democratically elected institutions. I can only encourage everyone to seize this opportunity.”
2019-01-18 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.8448 (2019) · source
“I beseech the members of the various Libyan institutions to see the national conference as a patriotic concern that transcends partisan and personal interests and to embrace it as a means to be the leaders this great country needs. Of course, there will be those who seek to undermine the national conference and its outcomes, in particular individuals hoping to delay elections so they may remain in their seats. Competing interests are natural. However, they should not undermine State-rebuilding and institutional reunification. Without the concerted support of the international community, spoilers will sabotage the political process and undo any progress made.”
2019-01-18 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.8448 (2019) · source
“Municipal elections are an important element of grass-roots democracy and have provided an encouraging test for national elections. After the successful holding of elections in Zawiya, Derj and Bani Walid, I welcomed the start of the voter registration on 12 December for approximately 60 more municipal council elections, with polling planned to start in March. The past months and years have been defined by a struggle between entities and individuals, fuelled by personal ambitions, underpinned by institutional dysfunctionalities and leading only to a deteriorating status quo. However, what is past can be a prelude. Now is the time for Libya to come together in the spirit of compromise and overcome past difficulties.”
2019-01-18 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.8448 (2019) · source
“The High National Election Commission is working to ensure that technical aspects are in place for any electoral event, including a referendum on the constitutional proposal. We take note of the discussions between the Commission and House of Representatives with regard to referendum legislation and, as always, encourage constructive engagement. Prior to any election, key concerns must be addressed. Fundamentally, there must be genuine political support for whatever election is held and guarantees that the results will be accepted and respected by all. Funding is required. Security arrangements for electoral events must be determined. Public services must be working. If the status quo actors truly engage on the national conference, I believe that much of that can be more smoothly addressed.”
2019-01-18 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.8448 (2019) · source
“We are working night and day to pull together those various elements in order to ensure the most productive event. Once the essential ingredients for a new consensus on a national agenda to rebuild a capable and united Libyan civil State have been agreed upon by the major players, we will be ready to announce the exact date and venue. I am encouraged by the commitment that the Libyans have expressed towards a new national agenda and by their forward-looking approach. It is high time that the political class respond to the daily calls for it to overcome its fractious, narrow and self-interested definition of governance. It is indisputable that the citizens of Libya wish to have elections at the earliest opportunity. One key outcome of the national conference must be to spell out the electoral path ahead.”
2019-01-18 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.8448 (2019) · source
“The political deadlock in Libya has been underpinned by a complex web of narrow interests, a broken legal framework and the pillaging of Libya's great wealth. Only Libyans themselves can plot a path out of that malaise towards stability and prosperity. Over the past year, we have received growing demands that we facilitate a national conference to allow them to do exactly that. In the coming weeks, we will seek to do so. Libyans, women and men, from across the country will gather in one place and decide how the nation should proceed to the end of the transition. Given the criticality of the event, it is vital that the national conference be held under the right conditions and with the right people and that it be capable of concluding with an outcome that is acceptable to the broad majority.”
2019-01-18 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.8448 (2019) · source
“The work ofa Special Representative of the Secretary-General is also that of a firefighter, and the fires that need to be extinguished are many. Clearly, that cannot be done from abroad. We must be present. We must also be realistic. Without united and concerted national leadership, even the best of efforts will go only so far. The various gains that I have described are fragile and reversible. In that political environment, they will eventually collapse. Predators will find ways to circumvent the economic reforms. Actors will choose violence over politics. The recent events in Tripoli are a good example of that. We can fight fires but, eventually, there will be an inferno that cannot be extinguished. We must therefore do more and tackle the underlying dysfunctionalities of the Libyan State.”
2019-01-18 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.8448 (2019) · source
“There is now a unit in the Office of my Deputy Special Representative for Political Affairs dedicated to advancing that agenda. It works closely with the international financial institutions concerned. Furthermore, in order to strengthen all fronts of the United Nations support efforts, we have redeployed the Mission in full force to Libya. I expect to finally reopen our office in Benghazi at the end of this month. We have relocated most of our staff back to the country. If security permits, I aim to reopen our office in the south this year. It is vital that we are in Libya. Apart from all the points that I mentioned above, we dedicate tremendous efforts to preventing conflict. In a country so finely splintered, every day brings with it new divisions that must be closed and fresh potential violence that must be stopped.”
2019-01-18 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.8448 (2019) · source
“The financial audit will entail a broad review of the balance sheet and financial transactions since the institutional split in 2014 and the formulation of recommendations for follow up. That is an important step towards the unification of the institution. Oil production had been at more than 1 million barrels per day, bringing much needed revenue into the treasury. Unfortunately, disturbances at the oil fields in the south over the lack of services to the region have led to a recent reduction in production. It is essential that such grievances be addressed without resorting to harming the national economy. Much more time and work are needed to create the prosperous, resilient and transparent economy that Libya needs. The Mission has reconfigured itself in order to better support that transformation.”
2019-01-18 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.8448 (2019) · source
“In most, if not all, cities and villages, the long queues of people standing for days outside automatic teller machines to obtain a small fraction of their assets are now over. Ministers are looking at ways to further that trend. The Ministries of Finance and Economy are both restructuring and reviewing their personnel to enable them to better deliver on their agendas. Financial crime advisers are being deployed by our partners in the European Union. Thanks to the German Government, staff of the Central Bank of Libya are receiving technical training from Bundesbank officials. Efforts to conduct an audit of the Central Bank are making good progress. We have facilitated an agreement between the Central Bank in Tripoli and the Al Bayda branch on the terms for the audit, which we are overseeing.”
2019-01-18 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.8448 (2019) · source
“The black- market price of the Libyan dinar against the United States dollar has collapsed as a result of the economic measures announced last September. The difference between the official and the black-market exchange rates has narrowed significantly, while the parallel rate, which was 10 dinars to the dollar a year ago, today stands at 4.3 dinar to the dollar and is expected to fall further. That has had a tangible economic impact on the lives of many people in the country. Inflation has stabilized and commodity prices have dropped substantially in a country that imports a huge part of its needs in hard currency. Prices have dropped, some by 40 per cent. The liquidity crisis has finally been overcome.”
2019-01-18 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.8448 (2019) · source
“Last month, I attended the opening of the refurbished Libyan Police Academy, and this week I was at the ground-breaking ceremony for a model police station that will build on community-oriented and citizen-focused policing. Efforts are under way to train hundreds of police and judicial police. We are working closely with the Libyan authorities to transfer the control of prisons from armed groups to trained professionals under the control of the Ministry of Justice. We are also pressing the Government to address the travesty of civilians being held in prison without charge or due process. We have been told that hundreds have been released and that the cases of many others are under consideration. The economy has continued to stabilize.”
2019-01-18 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.8448 (2019) · source
“The Mission has been providing technical assistance to the newly established security arrangements committee and to the development of a joint operations centre charged with coordinating the implementation of the security plan for greater Tripoli. While much remains to be done, those initiatives have helped to bring calm to the city. More broadly, there is a need to improve security across the country. Terrorists strike in various towns and cities, most recently in the attack by Da'esh on the Ministry of Foreign Affairs in Tripoli on 25 December. There are still sporadic clashes across the country, since law enforcement remains to a great extent in the hands of armed groups, not professional security officials. There is also hope in that regard.”
2019-01-18 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.8448 (2019) · source
“There are signs of hope. Over the past months, we have seen some progress in efforts to stabilize the country and to improve the lives of the Libyan people. The Government of National Accord has continued to appoint new ministers, most recently to the vital portfolios of health and local governance. The reshaped Cabinet has improved our scope to support service delivery and reform. We are looking at the various ministries and deciding how, with Member States, we can further assist them in their efforts to reform and to deliver. The ceasefire negotiated between the major armed actors in September remains in place, although it must be constantly watched. The Minister of the Interior has been working hard to advance the security arrangements for Tripoli, which underpin the fragile ceasefire.”
2019-01-18 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.8448 (2019) · source
“We have worked closely with all parties to stop breaches of the ceasefire from going any further. For now, the violations have been contained. Fighting in Derna is not over. Civilians have been killed in the conflict, families displaced and homes looted. Unconditional, unimpeded and sustained humanitarian access to the affected civilians in the old city is essential but denied. Civilians, including women and children, have been arrested and held in detention facilities without charge. Meanwhile, the Libyan National Army started to move into the south, beyond the positions that it held before. Wherever there is fighting, parties must take all measures to protect civilians and civilian facilities and adhere to international humanitarian law and human rights law. Where they do not, we will in time ensure that they face the consequences.”
2019-01-18 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.8448 (2019) · source
“There is a cost to that inaction. The anger of the southerners, unfortunately, has translated into attacks against water pipelines and oil facilities, which hurt Libya's slowly recovering economy. While the south is an acute case, similar woes, and a failure to alleviate them despite repeated pledges, plague the entirety of Libya. All Libyans struggle with deteriorating public services. Prison detainees, migrants, journalists and members of the judiciary, to name just some of those affected, are subject to abuse and violence at the hands of armed groups. Many thousands live with humanitarian concerns. Civilians continue to live in fear of becoming casualties of violent conflict. After months of calm resulting from the September ceasefire agreement, Tripoli was again rocked by renewed clashes two days ago.”
2019-01-18 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.8448 (2019) · source
“I heard at first hand from citizens who spoke movingly about the terrible hardships they endure, from the wanton brutality of Da'esh to wading through lakes of sewage that were created due to the lack of investment in basic public infrastructure. Added to that is the insecurity posed by completely porous borders and the presence of foreign mercenaries and common criminals who prey upon citizens and migrants alike. Many told me that they were fearful to see their families step outside their homes after sunset. I urge the Government and the international community to move swiftly and decisively in support of the south. The United Nations Support Mission in Libya has set up a specific task force to tackle the situation there. Agencies are going to do their duty and help, but it is the Libyan authorities who must shoulder the burden.”
2019-01-18 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.8448 (2019) · source
“Mr. Salame: Allow me to congratulate the Dominican Republic on its assumption of the presidency of the Security Council. The south of the country, which encompasses almost 1 million square kilometers of land, remains Libya's vulnerable heart. The source of much of the nation's natural wealth, thanks to its water and oil, has been woefully neglected. Despite years of promises to address the situation there, conditions are deteriorating at an alarming rate. I had an opportunity to visit the region's capital, Sabha, just a few days ago, in what was the first visit to the south by a Special Representative of the Secretary-General since 2012.”
2019-01-18 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.8448 (2019) · source
“Too many use it as an excuse to maintain an unfair and volatile status quo that impoverishes Libyans and transforms the country into a source of alarm for its neighbours and beyond. The unity of the international community is therefore crucial if we want progress in Libya's stabilization. The real challenge is to rebuild a united, legitimate and sustainable State - no less than that.”
2018-11-08 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.8394 (2018) · source
“Civilians are being killed in indiscriminate fighting, terrorists are looking at Libya as a shelter following their defeats elsewhere, human rights are violated on a daily basis, and the next generation of Libyans is being held back from fulfilling its potential. Despite the complexity of the crisis, the solution is straightforward. The path to stability requires that the demands and needs of the Libyan citizens guide the way and that politicians follow. Together, we must support the citizens in addressing their institutions, pressing them to listen and compelling them to deliver on what is required of them. Having taught international relations for a good part of my life, I acknowledge that competition and rivalry between Powers is normal, and somehow legitimate, but the reflection of that on Libya is truly detrimental.”
2018-11-08 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.8394 (2018) · source
“I also welcome the Presidency Council's decision to establish the Women's Support and Empowerment Unit on 24 October, in line with the Libyan Political Agreement. This is a landmark development for all Libyan women. UNSMIL remains committed and ready to provide support to the Unit, and urges the international community do the same. Libya is caught in a futile and destructive cycle, fuelled by personal ambitions and the nation's stolen wealth. While it is endowed with great human and material resources, Libya is fast becoming a tragedy of lost opportunity. The risks are too high to allow that to continue.”
2018-11-08 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.8394 (2018) · source
“That threat was again highlighted by the 29 October ISIS attack on the village of Al-Fuqaha. We will continue working with the local authorities to provide humanitarian assistance, and urge the Government of National Accord to step up its delivery of services. We would of course welcome the Council's efforts in that regard. To that effect, this month we will organize a specific briefing to the international community on the situation in the south in all of its complexity. While the east remains more stable, political, there are still political, humanitarian and security challenges there, including the way people coming from Derna are being treated. By my next briefing, we will have opened a United Nations office in Benghazi, which will enable us to better serve people across the east of the country.”
2018-11-08 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.8394 (2018) · source
“We are seeing a complete collapse in the provision of services to the population, rising terrorism and criminality, rampant lawlessness, threats to the oil fields and the water infrastructure upon which the nation relies, foreign armed groups on Libyan soil and shortages of everything, from fuel to cash and from medicine to food. The problems are countless and no State institutions are there to tackle them. Long ignored and marginalized, and now used as a theatre for outsiders, resentment in the South is deepening. We encourage Member States to support the Libyan authorities in addressing the foreign presence. The threat posed by open borders has facilitated the presence of the Islamic State in Iraq and the Sham (ISIS), Al-Qaeda and other terrorist groups across the south of Libya.”
2018-11-08 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.8394 (2018) · source
“The Conference is neither intended to be a new institution, nor is it an effort to replace existing legislative bodies. Rather, as provided for by the Libyan Political Agreement itself, it shall create a space for Libyans to crystallize their vision for the transition and no longer be ignored by their politicians. International support for the National Conference recommendations will be crucial to ensuring its success. I must now address the situation in the south of the country, which is becoming ever more precarious.”
2018-11-08 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.8394 (2018) · source
“Now, conditions are more propitious. The National Conference is to be held in the first weeks of 2019. The subsequent electoral process should commence in the spring of the same year. The Conference will be Libyan-led and Libyan-owned. It will build on and develop the contributions of the thousands of Libyans who participated in the 77 preparatory meetings held throughout the country and abroad in the spring of this year. The Conference will provide a platform for and give voice to the Libyan people. With it, they can push the Libyan Political Agreement institutions - the House of Representatives, the High Council of State and the Government of National Accord - to take the necessary and long-awaited steps to move the political process forward.”
2018-11-08 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.8394 (2018) · source
“According to our latest poll, which I received this morning, 80 per cent of Libyans insist on having elections as soon as possible. Countless Libyans are sick and tired of military adventurism and petty political manoeuvres. The time has come to give a wider and more representative group of Libyans the opportunity to meet on Libyan soil, with no external interference, in order to identify a clear path out of the present impasse, reinforced by a clear timetable. They want to move forward with the National Conference, and I agree. That is the way forward. A summer of tragic events - with terrorist attacks, the oil crescent crisis, Derna battles and, most recently, the Tripoli clashes - have compelled us to delay this important, potentially historic event, which evidently cannot be organized in times of acute polarization or armed clashes.”
2018-11-08 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.8394 (2018) · source
“The Libyan people, the United Nations and the international community have given the House of Representatives every opportunity to act in the best interests of the country, but the House has failed to uphold its responsibilities. Months after a binding commitment to producing the legislation required to hold a referendum on the draft constitution and presidential and parliamentary elections, no such legislation has emerged. It is now clear that the postponed sessions and contradictory public statements have been intended simply to waste time. The body calling itself Libya's sole legislature is largely sterile. To both Houses, elections are a threat that must be resisted at all costs, but to the citizens elections are a means of liberation from the ineffective and increasingly illegitimate authorities.”
2018-11-08 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.8394 (2018) · source
“The third is the political pillar. The Presidency Council's cabinet reshuffle on 7 October ushered in four new ministers. The United Nations will support further appointments to help improve the delivery of services and security to the Libyan people. UNSMIL focus remains on policies, not on politicians, and on improving institutions, not on promoting individuals. Efforts to amend the Presidency Council continue. UNSMIL welcomes the continued contact between members of the House of Representatives and the High Council of State, which started in the meetings UNSMIL organized between them in the fall of 2017. We shall see ifa true agreement can be reached.”
2018-11-08 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.8394 (2018) · source