Mr. President,
Although it was only a week ago today that I briefed the Council on the situation in Libya, it is a privilege to do so again in the presence of the Prime Minister of Libya, Dr Abdurrahim El-Keib. I do not need to repeat aspects of that briefing, since you have the Prime Minister to inform you of latest developments and their context, although I will of course be please to update my own assessment in informal consultations. I will open by referring to just one sad event of the past week: on 3 March, an international colleague from the NGO Danish Church Aid, an implementing partner of the UN Mine Action Service (UNMAS), was killed while carrying out mine clearance operations near Daphniya. This tragic accident demonstrates the hazards which will still be faced by the Libyan people for a long time to come, as well as the courage of the mine action teams who are working diligently to reduce this contamination.
Mr. President,
Since the Council extended the mandate of UNSMIL on 2 December last year for an additional three months, UNSMIL has engaged in a comprehensive planning process, following the integrated mission planning (IMPP) guidelines, that included consultations across the United Nations system, and with the Libyan authorities, civil society organizations, and international partners. The results of this process are outlined in the report of the Secretary-General that is now before you. The planning process and the consultations with Libyan interlocutors reaffirmed the continuing relevance of UNSMIL’s mandate, as set out in Security Council resolutions 2009 (2011) and 2022 (2011), but it has also helped to define the areas in which we need to engage more deeply in the coming 12 months. From the outset, we have pursued a phased approach, and have not sought to apply any template. This has helped us to explore in Libya and with Libyans what the United Nations should do and how we should do it. I believe that we are thus now well able to recommend a mission concept tailored to the needs of Libya, and to its uniqueness. I have highlighted this uniqueness in previous briefings. Libya is a country rich in resources, which does not need “traditional” donor support. It is a country with skilled personnel, ready to lead their nation in many fields. But 42 years of dictatorship and long periods of international isolation have left Libya weak in the institutions of a modern, democratic state. The people of Libya now look forward to free elections, a democratic constitution, transparency and accountability, and the rule of law, including security forces subject to civilian control and protecting the people not a regime. They are determined to maintain national ownership of their future, but they are hungry to learn of international experience and best practice. The role of the United Nations must be to support their efforts, where and when needed, in a flexible manner which does not impose a heavy international presence.
Mr. President,
The Secretary-General’s report proposes that in the coming twelve months, UNSMIL should focus on five areas: the democratic transition and electoral processes; public security; arms proliferation and border security; human rights, transitional justice and rule of law; and coordination of international assistance. These proposals are fully consistent with the request of the Transitional Government of Libya, as set out in the letter to the Secretary-General from Prime Minister El-Keib. Our support to Libya’s democratic transition would focus primarily on the organization of the June 2011 elections for a National Congress, and the subsequent constitutional process, which is to culminate in a referendum. This will require sustained and predictable support from UNSMIL’s integrated electoral section, with participation from UNDP and UNOPS, not only in technical areas, but also in order to ensure civic awareness and informed participation in the elections. This support began already in 2011, and it must not only be continued but increased as we get closer to the elections. UNSMIL’s support would then be extended to Libya’s subsequent electoral and constitutional milestones. The electoral staff thus needs to constitute the largest component of UNSMIL for the next 12 months. At the same time, UNSMIL would provide support to reconciliation efforts at national and local levels, when requested. As regards public security, UNSMIL would support Libyan efforts to develop an effective and accountable security sector, which respects human rights, upholds the rule of law and has the confidence of Libya’s people. To this end, the Mission’s role would include the provision of strategic and technical advice to national stakeholders on security sector-wide issues, including those pertaining to the integration or demobilization and reintegration of ex-combatants and the control of weapons, and to civilian oversight and management. One of the critical tasks over the year ahead will be to establish an accountable and professional police service throughout the country that performs a range of policing functions in accordance with human rights principles, and that enhances the confidence of the Libyan people in the State’s ability to provide security and justice. To that end, by deploying a range of specialists and police experts, UNSMIL would provide strategic and technical advisory services to the Ministry of Interior on issues of oversight and management, command and control, strategic and operational planning, training, the integration of ex-combatants into the Police, and elections security.
Stability within Libya and the region also hinges on the ability of the Libyan authorities to account for and control the large quantities of arms, including heavy weaponry, MANPADS, and related materiel, and to address the threat of arms trafficking and proliferation, through close collaboration with neighboring countries as well as the relevant regional and international institutions and mechanisms. UNSMIL would therefore continue to support them in their efforts to counter arms proliferation. In this regard, the Mission would continue to facilitate the engagement of international bodies, such as the Organization for the Prohibition of Chemical Weapons and the International Atomic Energy Authority. UNSMIL’s work against arms proliferation would be implemented through an integrated UN structure, leveraging expertise in UNMAS, UNICEF and UNDP. Preventing arms proliferation is of course closely linked to the security of Libya’s borders, but the issue of border management cannot be reduced to this aspect alone. Working with the European Union in particular, UNSMIL would therefore support the implementation of a comprehensive border management approach, which involves several ministries, and requires cooperation with neighbouring countries. Since the Council gave UNSMIL a specific mandate to undertake this work, a senior adviser has spearheaded our efforts, and it would be important to intensify the cooperation with Libya’s neighbours which the Government is seeking to promote through the regional security conference it has convened in Tripoli next week.
As outlined in the report of the Secretary-General, moving from the 42 years of human rights violations in Libya to the full protection of human rights will be a major indicator of success of the democratic transition. Recent events and reports have demonstrated that this is a task that requires strong support, and constant vigilance. UNSMIL therefore plans to give high priority to supporting the Libyan authorities and civil society in ensuring that the transition, including the transitional justice process, is anchored in solid rule of law systems, institutions and practices, and in respect for human rights. This support would be provided by an enhanced component of the Mission, as well as through the mobilization of specialized expertise. It would include building the capacity of the Libyan institutions in the judicial and corrections system, with UNSMIL addressing the most immediate issues in partnership with longer-term capacity development through UNDP and UNODC. Our plans are fully consistent with the specific recommendations for the role of UNSMIL made in the report of the International Commission of Inquiry on Libya, with whom we have had a continuing dialogue in the course of their important work.
Finally, the past months have demonstrated the need for coordination of international assistance to Libya, in all these and other areas. While I reiterated the uniqueness of the Libyan context, as in other transitional contexts, multiple offers - and especially multiple visits - can present significant transaction costs for national authorities. The Libyan government is under acute pressure to meet urgent priorities. In all of its mandate areas, UNSMIL would continue to support Libyan efforts to coordinate international engagement, with a view to ensuring that offers of assistance are focused on Libyan-defined needs, and implemented with minimum demands upon Libya’s already stretched capacities. Where appropriate and as the Government requests, UNSMIL would facilitate the development of partnerships between Libya and international actors, including in areas where the United Nations lacks the mandate or the comparative advantage to respond directly to Libyan needs. The imminent establishment of representation in Libya of the African Union and the League of Arab States will be helpful in drawing upon regional expertise.
Before concluding, I would like to emphasize two points which cut across all the proposed future activities of UNSMIL. First, it is important that the involvement of women in the revolution translates in fuller participation in the democratic transition. UNSMIL would have a dedicated capacity to support women’s empowerment, in all areas of the mandate. And second, one must remember that the Libyan revolution, like all the movements of the Arab spring, was the expression of aspirations of change from the youth of the country. The youth of Libya expect to be fully involved in the transition, and this would be a constant concern of our efforts over the next 12 months.
In delivering this proposed mandate, UNSMIL would maintain a light footprint, aiming to provide flexible, responsive, high-quality expertise to support the democratic transition and help the Libyan authorities navigate the challenges associated with it. We recommend that this support be provided in the form of a structurally integrated mission, to maximize the impact of the entire United Nations system. The proposed structure of UNSMIL would be based on a relatively small, high-level core staff, who would have advisory and coordination roles in their respective areas, and would be able to mobilize additional support when needed. The additional expertise mobilized throughout the year would come from several sources, including Member States, regional and other organizations, and of course the UN Country Team. However, it would also be important for UNSMIL to have its own capacity to meet short notice requests for deployment. It is our intention to build on the conclusions of the Report of the Secretary-General on Civilian Capacity to design new and more flexible ways to mobilize civilian expertise in support of the Libyans. Maintaining a capacity to respond to emerging needs is a key part of our mission concept.
Mr. President,
The year ahead is one of the most important in Libyan’s history. The first time I addressed the Council as the Secretary-General’s Special Adviser to coordinate post-conflict planning for Libya, last June, I said that it was clear that, despite Libya’s financial and human resources, the post-conflict challenges would be substantial, after decades in which it had been a matter of policy not to develop any of the institutions of a democratic, accountable state; and the legacy of human rights violations and the absence of the rule of law would be a heavy one. You are about to hear from the first Prime Minister who has assumed the responsibility of addressing those challenges. It is a privilege for myself and my colleagues to work with those Libyans who have committed themselves to building the future of their country, and I ask for the support of the Council in agreeing to the Government of Libya’s request and the Secretary-General’s recommendation that the mandate of UNSMIL be extended for 12 months in the manner set out in the report.