S/2017/84 - Final communiqué of the 10th ministerial meeting of the neighbouring countries of Libya.

United Nations
Security Council

S/2017/84

Distr.: General
1 February 2017
Original: English

Letter dated 24 January 2017 from the Permanent Representative of Egypt to the United Nations addressed to the President of the Security Council

As you are aware, the tenth meeting of Libya's neighbouring countries was held in Cairo on 21 January 2017 and was chaired by Egypt. Ministers and ambassadors from Algeria, Tunisia, Libya, Niger, Chad and the Sudan participated in this meeting, which was also attended by the Secretary-General of the League of Arab States, the Special Representative of the Secretary-General for Libya and Head of the United Nations Support Mission in Libya and the African Union High Representative for Libya.

In that regard, please find attached the final communique of the aforementioned meeting. I should be grateful if the present letter and its annex could be circulated as a document of the Security Council.

(Signed) Amr Aboulatta
Ambassador
Permanent Representative

Annex to the letter dated 24 January 2017 from the Permanent Representative of Egypt to the United Nations addressed to the President of the Security Council

Final communiqué of the tenth ministerial meeting of the neighbouring countries of Libya, held in Cairo on 21 January 2017

1. The tenth ministerial meeting of the neighbouring countries of Libya convened in Cairo at the level of foreign ministers on 21 January 2017. The meeting was chaired by His Excellency Mr. Sameh Shoukry, Minister for Foreign Affairs of the Arab Republic of Egypt, with the participation of:

- His Excellency Mr. Abdelkader Messahel, Minister for Maghreb Affairs, African Union and League of Arab States of the People's Democratic Republic of Algeria

- His Excellency Mr. Khemaies Jhinaoui, Minister for Foreign Affairs of the Republic of Tunisia

- His Excellency Mr. Mohamed El-Taher Siala, Delegated Minister for Foreign Affairs of Libya

- Her Excellency Mrs. Salamatou Lamido Ousseini, Delegated Minister in charge of African Integration Affairs and Nigeriens Abroad of the Republic of the Niger

- His Excellency Mr. Hassan Adam, Ambassador of the Republic of Chad in Cairo

- His Excellency Mr. Abdel Mahmoud Abdel Haleem, Ambassador of the Republic of the Sudan in Cairo

2. The meeting was attended as well by His Excellency Mr. Ahmed Abdoul Gheit, the Secretary-General of the League of Arab States, His Excellency Mr. Martin Kobler, Special Representative of the Secretary-General and Head of the United Nations Support Mission in Libya, His Excellency Mr. Jakaya Kikwete, former President of the United Republic of Tanzania and the African Union High Representative for Libya.

3. The Ministers took note of the recent developments in Libya, stressing that there could be no alternative to adhering to the Libyan Political Agreement signed on 17 December 2015 in Skhirat, Morocco, as the sole framework for the solution to the present crisis in Libya, in accordance with the main principles agreed to during the meetings convened in Cairo, N'Djamena, Khartoum, Algiers, Tunis and Niamey. These principles are:

(a) Preserving the security, stability and unity of Libya and sovereignty over its territory and the resilience of its people;

(b) Rejection of any external interference in the internal affairs of Libya;

(c) Preserving the legitimate State institutions of Libya and respect for the rule of law, while ensuring the separation of powers, and social justice;

(d) Preserving the unity of the Libyan Army along with the presence of a national police force to protect the nation, in accordance with the Libyan political agreement, to fulfil their duties for preserving the security and stability of the Libyan State and its legitimate institutions;

(e) Reinforcing the principle of consensus without marginalization or exclusion, and the commitment to a comprehensive dialogue between all the parties of Libya, and upholding the imperative of a comprehensive national reconciliation;

(f) Maintaining the civil State and the democratic process, as well as the peaceful transition of power in Libya.

4. The Ministers reaffirmed their support for the Presidential Council of the Government of National Accord as derived from the Libyan political agreement which laid the foundations for a final political solution to the crisis. The ministers called on the Council to form a government of national accord representing all the political forces in Libya, and encouraged the Libyan House of Representatives to convene a meeting to deliberate on the newly formed government and grant its vote of confidence so that it may assume its responsibilities.

5. The Ministers expressed their determination to further pursue their efforts to promote the political process in Libya towards its success, and to foster the appropriate conditions for security and restoring stability in all the territories of Libya, in collaboration with the appreciated efforts of His Excellency Mr. Martin Kobler, the Special Representative of the Secretary-General for Libya, His Excellency Mr. Jakaya Kikwete, former President of the United Republic of Tanzania and Representative of the African Union to Libya, as well as Ambassador Salah El Din Elgamaly, the Envoy of the Secretary-General of the League of Arab States for Libya.

6. The Ministers reiterated their categorical rejection of a military solution to the Libyan crisis given the negative implications for the security and stability of Libya in particular, and for the neighbouring countries in general. They furthermore affirmed that political dialogue was the sole path towards ending the crisis.

7. The Ministers affirmed their rejection of any foreign military intervention, emphasizing that combating terrorist groups in Libya must be undertaken in the context of international legitimacy, and that military operations in this regard must be based on the request of the Presidential Council of the Government of National Accord pursuant to the provisions of resolution 2259 (2015), adopted by the Security Council on 23 December 2015, and in accordance with the Charter of the United Nations.

8. The Ministers discussed the extremely dangerous situation facing the people of Libya as a result of the political and security crises and their numerous ramifications. In this regard the ministers expressed their concern regarding the continued presence of terrorist organizations in certain regions of Libya, as this presents a serious danger to the people of Libya and the future of the political process.

9. The Ministers stressed the importance of enhancing cooperation and consultation among the neighbouring countries of Libya with respect to border security and combating terrorism in its various manifestations, organized crime and all forms of cross -border smuggling, and of continuing efforts to convene a meeting of experts to present specific recommendations on this matter to the next meeting of the foreign ministers of the neighbouring countries of Libya.

10. The Ministers praised the success that was achieved in confronting terrorism in the various regions of Libya, and especially in the cities of Benghazi and Sirte, reaffirming the importance of pursuing terrorist elements fleeing from these two cities so that they are unable to reconstitute in other areas throughout Libya.

11. The Ministers affirmed the central and critical role undertaken by the mechanism of the neighbouring countries of Libya, as it is the most concerned with the state of instability in Libya and the most negatively affected by the ongoing crisis. In this regard, the Ministers called on countries and regional and international organizations willing to contribute to the resolution of the crisis to take into account the approach adopted by the mechanism of neighbouring countries of Libya, and the positions of the group and its vision with respect to the current situation in Libya while considering any effort aimed at contributing to resolving the crisis, and that this be undertaken within the context of the United Nations political process.

12. The Ministers value the efforts undertaken by the neighbouring countries of Libya and the recent meetings in Cairo, Algiers and Tunis, and their endeavours aimed at addressing the crisis facing Libya and containing its ramifications, in addition to their deliberations and bridging the gaps between the Libyan parties in order to reach a political settlement in the context of the United Nations political process, and including all the major Libyan parties in the context of a comprehensive Libyan dialogue. The ministers encouraged the neighbouring countries to further coordinate with respect to these endeavours.

13. The Ministers expressed their concern at the deteriorating humanitarian situation in Libya, and the difficult living conditions facing the citizens of Libya. In this regard the ministers praised the role of the central and local state institutions in the various regions of Libya in providing for basic services to the citizens.

14. The Ministers stressed the importance that the international community undertake, in coordination with the legitimate authorities in Libya, to implement a humanitarian responsive plan in Libya during 2017, given that the Libyan people face acute shortages of medicine and medical supplies in hospitals and medical facilities in various regions across Libya.

15. The Ministers called for eliminating the freeze on Libyan financial assets in foreign banks, so that these resources belonging to the Libyan people can be allotted to fulfil the needs of the country, at the time convenient to the Presidential Council.

16. The Ministers requested the Egyptian Chair of the meeting to convey the present communique to the Secretary-General of the United Nations, the President of the Security Council, the Secretary-General of the League of Arab States and the Chair of the African Union Commission.

17. The Ministers further requested the Chair of the meeting to convey their highest appreciation and gratitude to His Excellency Mr. Abdel Fattah El-Sisi, the President of the Arab Republic of Egypt, and to the Government of Egypt for their gracious hospitality, and for undertaking the necessary arrangements for the success of this meeting, and their efforts towards resolving the crisis in Libya.

18. The Ministers agreed to hold the eleventh ministerial meeting of the neighbouring countries of Libya in Algiers, on a date which will be determined through prior consultation. The ministers furthermore agreed that the mechanism of the neighbouring countries of Libya shall remain in continuous session in order to monitor developments in Libya.

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01Feb17

Final communiqué of the 10th ministerial meeting of the neighbouring countries of Libya