The Security Council today extended the United Nations Support Mission in Libya (UNSMIL) mandate for three months until 31 January 2025, with an automatic nine-month extension if a new Special Representative and Mission Head is appointed by that date.
Unanimously adopting resolution 2755 (2024) (to be issued as document S/RES/2755 ), the Council urged the Libyan political institutions and key stakeholders to resolve outstanding politically contentious issues pertaining to elections to progress a Libyan-led and Libyan-owned, UNSMIL-facilitated negotiation and deliver free, fair, transparent and inclusive national, presidential and parliamentary elections as soon as possible.
Emphasizing that "there can be no military solution in Libya", it called on all parties to refrain from violence and military actions that could exacerbate conflicts and undermine the political process or the 23 October 2020 ceasefire in Libya.
Also by the text, the Council underscored the need to refrain from external interference, demanding that all Member States fully comply with the arms embargo by ceasing all support for foreign fighters and mercenaries and withdrawing them.
Expressing concern over the humanitarian situation, the 15-member organ called on the Libyan authorities to allow and facilitate full, safe and unhindered humanitarian access to those in need, and release funds for long-term recovery and reconstruction efforts in Derna and other areas affected by flooding and natural disasters.
Following the vote, several delegates expressed concern over the prolonged vacancy in the position of Special Representative for Libya, while others debated the mandate renewal's duration.
Mozambique's delegate, also speaking for Algeria, Guyana and Sierra Leone, said that while they supported a standard 12-month mandate renewal, the group showed flexibility to achieve the Council's unity and cohesion. He also supported the UNSMIL presence in Libya as it is vital to forging progress toward presidential and parliamentary elections. To this end, he called for the prompt appointment of a new Special Representative.
"This resolution sends an important message," said the United Kingdom's delegate, noting that the text reaffirms the Council's commitment to stand by the Libyan people and continuously support a political process towards free and fair elections. She called for a long-term political agreement and emphasized that Libya's resources must be used for its people's well-being, urging all sides to refrain from unilateral actions that entrench divisions. She voiced support for the Secretary-General in seeking to appoint a new Special Representative as soon as possible.
Her counterpart from Japan underscored UNSMIL's crucial role in facilitating and supporting the Libyan-led and Libyan-owned political process in achieving peace and stability nationally and regionally. Tokyo - along with most Council members - favoured a 12-month renewal to allow the Mission to fully and smoothly carry out its mandate at this critical juncture, he said, voicing regret that the short-term extension "could have a negative impact on the work done by the Mission on the ground even though it comes with a conditional automatic renewal".
China's representative expressed hope that the adopted resolution will speed up the appointment of a new Special Representative, also urging the Mission to optimize its presence in Libya within existing human resources. "The Mission needs a leader that will be fully trusted by all parties," said the Russian Federation's representative, adding that "the longer the current uncertainty persists, the bigger the web of problems in which the country is entangled". She expressed regret that the Mission's transition period is taking longer than expected, stressing that "further delays are unacceptable" and the Mission Head should be appointed as soon as possible.
The United States' delegate voiced disappointment that negotiations did not result in a year-long renewal, supported by most Council members. "The Russian Federation's intransigence during negotiations is the sole reason we do not have a straightforward one-year renewal," he stressed, adding: "We can only speculate why Russia seeks to hobble this vital Mission." As demonstrated in 2022, revisiting the mandate every few months stalled progress towards sustainable solutions in the country, he cautioned.
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