Mohamed Abushahab highlighted the recent events unfolding across several Libyan cities, including the escalation and recurrence of clashes between armed groups in Tripoli.
He stressed the need to avoid acts of violence and sabotage and for all parties to exercise utmost restraint. Moreover, he also offered sincere condolences to the families of the victims of last week’s clashes.
The Deputy Permanent Representative of the United Arab Emirates also discussed the importance of maintaining the momentum and progress achieved in the recent meetings held in Cairo and Geneva.
In this regard, he called on all parties to put forth their best efforts to overcome the remaining contentious issues in the draft constitution.
Furthermore, he highlighted that the differences over these issues have persisted and delayed the fulfillment of Libyans’ demands.
As such, reaching a consensus will end the transitional period and will lead to the holding of the elections on the date agreed upon by the Libyan people.
Mohamed Abushahab also discussed that it is important for all actors to commit to de-escalation and refrain from any provocative actions that would exacerbate the security situation.
Adding to this, he said that the stakeholders should cooperate to overcome the current divisions, and in this regard, he stressed the importance of keeping the coastal road open to ensure the free movement of people and goods between cities while avoiding any negative measures that may add to the suffering of the Libyan people.
Along with this, he stated that to achieve sustainable peace, it is imperative for all Libyan parties to join the National Reconciliation Initiative and work to unite and overcome the past differences in accordance with the values of tolerance and justice.
The Deputy Permanent Representative of the UAE continued by emphasizing that the Security Council and the entire international community must spare no effort in supporting this initiative, which will be the first step in building a stable country for the Libyan people.
Furthermore, he underscored the central role played by regional organizations, including the League of the Arab States and the African Union, in supporting the achievement of these goals.
He also commended the 5+5 Libyan Joint Military Commission for its tireless efforts to protect the ceasefire agreement. Moreover, he welcomed the outcomes of the Commission’s recent meetings that were concluded last week.
After that, he stressed the importance of the withdrawal of forces, foreign fighters, and mercenaries from Libya in a simultaneous, phased, gradual, and balanced manner, in accordance with the ceasefire agreement and the resolutions of this Council.
Along these lines, he desired to look forward to the renewal of the UNSMIL mandate in the coming days, and that the Council will adopt a substantive and integrated resolution that takes into consideration the critical situation in Libya.
He also asked for the Secretary-General’s appointment of a Special Representative to Libya that will enjoy a broad consensus in order to bring all relevant parties together and contributes to advancing the political process led by Libyans.
In the end, he affirmed the UAE’s full support for achieving the legitimate aspirations of the Libyan people and hoped that all efforts will be aimed toward overcoming current challenges to build a united, peaceful, and prosperous Libya.
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