Secretary-General’s Special Envoy for Libya holds a series of meetings with Libyan and officials and actors from different backgrounds and affiliation

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3 May 2021

Secretary-General’s Special Envoy for Libya holds a series of meetings with Libyan and officials and actors from different backgrounds and affiliation

Tripoli, 3 May 2021 - Special Envoy of the UN Secretary-General for Libya and Head of the United Nations Support Mission in Libya Ján Kubiš continued his meetings with Libyan officials, political and security actors.  Special Envoy stressed the importance of implementing in full the recently adopted UN Security Council 2570 (2021) and 2571 (2021) resolutions, including its call upon the House of Representatives and relevant state institutions to take the necessary steps to facilitate the holding of  elections on 24 December.

Yesterday, the Special Envoy met with the Chairman of the High National Election Commission, Dr. Emad Sayyeh, at its HQ in Tripoli where he renewed the UN strong condemnation of the terrorist attack, which took place on the same date in 2018. The Special envoy and HNEC Chairman discussed preparations and steps needed for the holding of national elections on 24 December, in accordance with Security Council resolution 2570 (2021),  including the coordination between HNEC, the Government of National Unity (GNU), the Presidency Council and the Ministry of Interior. Special Envoy Kubiš renewed the UN and the international community’s readiness to continue to provide the necessary support to HNEC.

Special Envoy Kubis also met with the Central Bank Governor Siddiq ElKaberto discuss the economic and financial situation  and the need to support the GNU and the institutions of Libya, enabling them to address the  most pressing issues, such as the COVID-19 pandemic, the electricity crisis, as well as the financing of the NOC. Highlighting the importance of the smooth functioning of the CBL Board of Directors and of financial and state institutions, Special Envoy Kubis stressed the need to ensure transparent and adequate management of the country’s national resources and revenues for the benefit of the Libyan people. With Governor ElKabe, he also discussed the next steps following the conclusion of the international audit of the Central Bank.

 In the meeting with Minister of Justice, Ms. Halima R. Abdul Rahman, the Special Envoy discussed the overall human rights situation across the country in particular the issues of arbitrary detention, illegal detention centers, and detainees held without due process.   They welcomed the recent release of detainees by various parties in eastern and western Libya. The Special Envoy and the Minister discussed the role of the judiciary in the electoral process, the need to revise the laws in order to enable the broadest possible participation in the elections, the protection of the civil space for women and youth as voters or candidates.  The Special Envoy pledged UN support for the PC and the GNU efforts to proceed with a right based national reconciliation process and transitional justice. Finally, they confirmed the need to fully respect international humanitarian law, rights of migrants and refugees.

Special Envoy Ján Kubiš continued his outreach in a meeting with the Minister of Oil and Gas Oil. Mohamed M. Oun and separately with the Chairman of the National Oil Cooperation Mustafa Sanalla. In both meetings, SE Kubis discussed ongoing challenges, notably the persistent lack of adequate and timely financing for maintenance and renewal of oil infrastructure and operational needs of the oil sector. He stressed the importance to safeguard the neutrality of Libya’s oil sector without politicization, as well as to allocate the necessary funding to finance operations and implement the required maintenance and development plans to ensure continuity of oil production.

On Saturday, Special Envoy Ján Kubiš met with the Commander of the Libyan Arab Armed Forces Khalifa Haftar.  The meeting focused on advancing the implementation of the Ceasefire Agreement in full in compliance with the UN Security Council Resolution 2570 (2021), starting with the immediate reopening of the costal road and the withdrawal of all foreign forces and mercenaries from Libya without further delay. They also discussed the unification of Libya’s military institutions, praising the work of the 5+5 Joint Military Commission (JMC).  Both sides emphasized the importance to commit to the date for the holding of national elections on 24 December 2021 as a crucial step to reinforce the stability, independence, sovereignty, territorial integrity and national unity of Libya. They considered the situation in the South of Libya in light of developments in Chad and the need to protect stability and security.

In a meeting today, the Special Envoy and members of the Presidency Council (PC), Musa Elkonyand Abdullah Allafi, reconfirmed the critical importance of the unification of Libya’s military under the umbrella of the PC also in light of recent regional developments. They further discussed national reconciliation and the contribution of both the UN and the African Union in this regard.

On Friday, 30 April, The Special Envoy briefed the President of the High Council of State, Khaled Meshri on his engagements with national and international actors aiming at advancing peace process in Libya. They discussed recent developments with regards to the constitutional and legislative framework for the holding of parliamentary and presidential elections.  

Special Envoy Kubis also met today with Mohamed Sawan and Nizar Kawan of the Justice and Construction party, to discuss the political situation in the country and the next steps towards the holding of elections on 24 December, as well as the important role of political parties in the electoral process.

These days Special Envoy Kubis held telephone calls with several Libyan and international partners, notably Prime Minister Dbeiba, following their meeting several days ago, and former Minister of Interior Fathi Bashaga.  He also met with the newly arrived Ambassador of Egypt to Libya Mohamed Sarwat Selim.

Today, the Special Envoy also met with Minister of Foreign Affairs of Turkey Çavuşoğlu, who is visiting Tripoli together with other high-level officials. In their discussion they notably focused on the withdrawal of foreign fighters and mercenaries, requests and requirements of Libya for training and capacity building, criteria for the UN ceasefire monitoring operation and situation around the elections envisaged for 24 December 2021.