At the outset, on behalf of the Libyan people, it is my pleasure to congratulate the President of the General Assembly at its seventy-sixth session on his election. I wish him every success in his mandate and assure him of my country’s readiness to cooperate with him in order to achieve the objectives of this session. I would like to thank his predecessor for his efforts as President of the General Assembly at its seventy-fifth session. I would also like to commend the efforts of the Secretary- General to achieve the goals and purposes of the United Nations.
This session is convened in difficult times brought about by the coronavirus disease pandemic and its ongoing effects, which have caused tremendous human losses and enormous economic hardships in different countries. It is therefore incumbent upon us to reaffirm the calls of the United Nations and the World Health Organization, namely, that the only way to address the pandemic is through solidarity and by promoting international cooperation and coordinated efforts. We reiterate the Secretary-General’s call for a cessation of military operations and an end to armed conflicts, as well as the provision of resources to address the pandemic.
In my address before the General Assembly today, I will focus on the developments in Libya and the related challenges and concerns, particularly given the upcoming elections, to be held in December.
Libya is at a critical juncture and a defining moment. Either we succeed in the democratization process by means of holding fair, free and transparent elections whose results are accepted by all, and the subsequent move towards lasting stability and prosperity, or we fail and relapse into division and armed conflict.
Against that backdrop and the related difficult situation, there is a need for genuine guarantees to achieve the success aspired to by all Libyans to establish a democratic and civilian State. Despite the achievement in maintaining the ceasefire by preventing any attempt to undermine it and resolving any differences among the parties, and despite working with the Joint Military Commission to open the road linking eastern Libya with the western part, the problem of removing foreign mercenaries and forces from the country remains a real challenge. In that regard, we call on the international community to shoulder its responsibility in supporting the ongoing efforts to create, by tackling one of the major challenges, a climate conducive to holding safe, free, fair and comprehensive elections.
Since assuming office, we have striven to address many important issues and achieve the required objectives by making considerable efforts to ensure the full implementation of the agreed commitments, particularly the road map resulting from the Libyan Political Dialogue, the outcomes of the Berlin track and the relevant Security Council resolutions. However, we are facing serious challenges and rapid developments, which, as a matter of responsibility, compel us to think of more realistic and practical options to prevent an impasse in the political process, which could, in turn, undermine the upcoming elections and bring us back to square one.
In the light of what I have just said, I launch from this rostrum an appeal that includes a number of elements and steps aimed at maintaining the political process and sparing the country further complex crises. Our appeal focuses on holding a meeting of the parties concerned, represented by the leaders of the relevant political and military institutions, to assist in reaching agreement on effective guarantees to maintain the political process and the holding of safe, transparent and fair elections whose results are accepted by all. Working to that end requires, first and foremost, concession from all parties and a spirit of responsibility to prioritize the interests of the country above any other interest.
Over the past years, Libya has been subject to several international initiatives and proposals in an attempt to resolve the crisis. None of those met the necessary conditions for success. Therefore, Libya will host an international conference in October to launch the Stabilization Facility for Libya initiative, which is Libyan-owned and Libyan-led and deals with the political, security, military and economic tracks, based on the previous outcomes on Libya. That initiative seeks to ensure ongoing international support in a unified and consistent manner, in line with the comprehensive national vision. The conference will be attended by the relevant national institutions and bodies, as well as regional and international partners.
There is no doubt that national reconciliation is a key element for the success of the political process and for achieving lasting stability. Since its inception, the Presidency Council has therefore made that objective its top priority by establishing the High Commission for National Reconciliation and launching comprehensive reconciliation on 6 September. Many steps are being taken to restore trust among Libyans, the first of which is the exchange of detainees and the release of a number of prisoners who have either served their sentences or been found innocent.
We all know that the road to reconciliation is long. In order to get to the end, it is necessary to apply transitional justice, truth, openness, acknowledging past wrongs, reparations, the return of refugees and the displaced and identifying the situation of the missing persons. Only with those steps can we move towards successful, genuine and comprehensive national reconciliation.
On the economic front, the Libyan Presidency Council is actively and resolutely considering the outcomes of the economic track supported by the United Nations Support Mission in Libya, with the participation of Libyan experts. We believe that the outcome recommendations serve as a part of the solution to settling the conflict in Libya. Those recommendations range from addressing the current economic bottlenecks to unifying economic institutions and, ultimately, working on strategic economic issues such as wealth-sharing, economic restructuring and reconstruction.
One of the purposes of the United Nations is the coordination of international efforts to address the challenges, crises and threats facing the world. As a State Member of the Organization, my country has always been an active participant in the international efforts of the United Nations system. Libya has always condemned terrorism in all its forms and manifestations, irrespective of its sources, motives and justifications. We have always stressed that terrorism is an international phenomenon that should not be linked to any religion or belief. We suffered one of the world’s most ferocious and worst forms of terrorism throughout Libya. We sacrificed our youth to free it from terrorism. The whole world, near and far, witnessed our epic action to uproot the Islamic State of Iraq and the Sham from the pure land of Libya. By doing that, we made a great contribution to the global counter-terrorism efforts at the regional and international levels.
Despite the security and economic difficulties and challenges facing my country over the past years, we have not forgotten to defend and promote human rights as one of our priorities. We strive to fulfil our obligations towards our citizens, first and foremost and our international obligations, as possible. Libya is an active member of the Human Rights Council, and we look forward to increasing our cooperation with
the Office of the United Nations High Commissioner for Human Rights (UNHCR) in Libya and benefiting from the technical and advisory support programmes provided by UNHCR.
The phenomenon of migration has always been a great challenge for the international community. Some specific countries have been directly affected by it, including Libya, which is still grappling with its implications and the influx of illegal migrants through my country. That has caused security, economic and social problems. My country has borne a heavy burden and therefore deserves the support of the international community. We believe that this phenomenon can be tackled only through concerted efforts. Transit countries should not carry the burden alone. In that regard, we stress our respect for the humanitarian aspect, the provision of protection and respect for the human rights of that group of migrants.
Peace in the Middle East will not be achieved as long as acts of aggression against the Palestinian people continue. We reiterate our steadfast position in support of the Palestinian people and their right to establish their independent State, with Jerusalem as its capital. Libya will remain a supporter of the Palestinian cause and the struggle of the Palestinian people to attain their aspired goal of establishing an independent State.
Libya is one of the most ancient names in history. More than 10,000 years ago, it was home to the Phoenician, Greek, Roman, Byzantine and Islamic civilizations. It contributed to human thought. It is the country of silent treasures and harmonious races — Arabs, Berbers, Tuareg and Tebu — such a marvellous mosaic, which left its mark on mountain rocks in Acacus and Al-Awaynat, on the Mediterranean coast in Cyrene and Leptis Magna and in the beautiful oases of Germa and Ghadames in the middle of the desert.
In conclusion, I say to the Libyan people that history will attest that they have combated, struggled and fought occupation and colonization. They have proved their ability to overcome challenges and survive crises. They are a strong-willed people who have solid determination. We are confident that, together, we will be able to emerge from this plight stronger and more resilient. With its great people, Libya will remain united, proud, free and dignified.