Briefing by Mr. Ghassan Salamé, Special Representative of the Secretary-General and Head of the United Nations Support Mission in Libya (UNSMIL), on the situation in Libya [via video conference]
UN Special Representative for Libya Ghassan Salamé said the country was caught in a “futile and destructive cycle, fuelled by personal ambitions and the nation’s stolen wealth” and is fast becoming “the tragedy of the lost opportunity.”
Addressing the Security Council today (08 Nov) via teleconference from Tripoli, Salamé said as a result of the ceasefire agreements brokered by the UN mission in Libya (UNSMIL), fighting parties in the capital have agreed to stop the violence and most of the attackers from outside the city have withdrew. He said there was a “fragile but palpable sense of improvement across the capital” and stressed that looking forward Tripoli should be “protected by disciplined, regular police forces.” He stressed that success in the capital was crucial, not only because it houses most of the government institutions and 30 percent of the population, but also since what works in Tripoli can be a model to be repeated in other cities across the country.
The Special Representative said the Libyan people, the UN and the international community “have given every opportunity for the House of Representatives to act in the best interests of the country, but the House has failed to uphold its responsibilities.” He said months after a binding commitment to produce the legislation required to hold a referendum on the Constitutional proposal and Presidential and parliamentary elections, “nothing has been seen.” He added, “It is now clear that the postponed sessions and contradictory public statements were simply intended to waste time; the body calling itself Libya’s sole legislature is largely sterile.”
Salamé underscored that “countless Libyans are sick and tired of military adventurism and petty political manoeuvres” adding that 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 devise a clean path out of the present impasse, reinforced by a clear timetable.” He noted that moving forward with the National Conference “is the way forward” adding that it would be Libyan-owned and led and would create a space for Libyans to crystallise their vision for the transition of the country.
The Special Envoy addressed the situation in southern Libya which he said has witnessed a complete collapse in services to the population, rising terrorism and criminality, and rampant lawlessness. He said the problems there are countless, and no state institutions are there to tackle them. He added that resentment in the south was deepening where people have been long ignored and marginalised and were now being used as a theatre for outsiders.
Salamé said while Libya is a country endowed with “great means in human and material terms it is fast becoming the tragedy of the lost opportunity.” He said the risks are too high for the international community to allow this to continue. He stressed that despite the complexity of the crisis, the solution is straightforward adding that the path to stability is for the demands and needs of the Libyan citizens to guide the way, and the politicians to follow.
