Equipo Nizkor - UNSC S/2016/280 - Final declaration of the eighth ministerial meeting of Libya's neighbouring States.

United Nations
Security Council

S/2016/280

Distr.: General
29 March 2016
Original: English

Letter dated 24 March 2016 from the Permanent Representative of Tunisia to the United Nations addressed to the President of the Security Council

Upon instructions from my Government, I have the honour to attach herewith a letter dated 24 March 2016 from the Minister for Foreign Affairs of the Republic of Tunisia addressed to the President of the Security Council (see annex).

It would be highly appreciated if the present letter and its annex were circulated as a document of the Security Council.

(Signed) Mohamed Khaled Khiari
Ambassador
Permanent Representative

Annex to the letter dated 24 March 2016 from the Permanent Representative of Tunisia to the United Nations addressed to the President of the Security Council

[Original: Arabic]

On 22 March 2016, as part of the ongoing consultation and coordination among Libya's neighbouring States aimed at making an effective contribution to United Nations-sponsored international efforts to support the political process and restore security and stability to Libya, Tunisia hosted the eighth ministerial meeting of Libya's neighbouring States. The meeting was chaired by Tunisia and attended by Mr. Fayiz al-Sarraj, head of the Presidency Council of the Government of National Accord of Libya; the Ministers for Foreign Affairs of Egypt, Algeria, Chad, the Sudan and the Niger, who headed their respective delegations; the Secretary -General of the League of Arab States; the African Union High Representative for Libya; the Special Representative of the Secretary-General and Head of the United Nations Support Mission in Libya; and the Deputy Secretary-General of the European External Action Service.

The meeting provided Libya's neighbouring States an opportunity to reaffirm their commitment to the unity of Libya, its national sovereignty over its entire territory and the cohesion of its citizens, as well as their respect for the choices of the Libyan people and their support for efforts to restore Libya's security and stability, which are essential to the security and stability of Libya's neighbouring States and the region as a whole. The Ministers for Foreign Affairs reaffirmed the support of Libya's neighbouring States for the Libyan Political Agreement sponsored by the United Nations and for the Presidency Council of the Government of National Accord of Libya headed by Mr. Fayiz al-Sarraj, and stressed the need to fulfil the remaining commitments under that Agreement.

Acting on the instructions of the Ministers for Foreign Affairs of Libya's neighbouring States, I have the honour, in my capacity as chair of the eighth ministerial meeting of Libya's neighbouring States, to transmit herewith the final declaration issued by the meeting (see enclosure).

I should be grateful if you would have the present letter and its enclosure issued as a document of the Security Council.

(Signed) Khemais Jhinaoui

Enclosure

Final declaration of the eighth ministerial meeting of Libya's neighbouring States

Tunisia, 22 March 2016

On 22 March 2016, Tunisia hosted the eighth ministerial meeting of Libya's neighbouring States. The meeting was chaired by Tunisia and attended by Mr. Fayiz al-Sarraj, head of the Presidency Council of the Government of National Accord of Libya; His Excellency Mr. Sameh Hassan Shokry Selim, Minister for Foreign Affairs of the Arab Republic of Egypt; His Excellency Mr. Abdelkader Messahel, Minister for Maghreb Affairs, the African Union and the League of Arab States of the People's Democratic Republic of Algeria; His Excellency Moussa Faki Mahamat, Minister of Foreign Affairs, African Integration and International Cooperation of the Republic of Chad; His Excellency Kamal al-Din Isma'il Sa'id, Minister of State in the Ministry for Foreign Affairs of the Republic of the Sudan; His Excellency Mr. Mawlul al-Husayni, Ambassador of the Republic of the Niger in Tripoli; His Excellency Mr. Nabil Elaraby, Secretary-General of the League of Arab States; His Excellency Mr. Jakaya Kikwete, the African Union High Representative for Libya; His Excellency Mr. Martin Kobler, Special Representative of the Secretary-General and Head of the United Nations Support Mission in Libya (UNSMIL); and Her Excellency the Deputy Secretary-General of the European External Action Service.

The meeting focused on ways of supporting the political process and efforts to restore security and stability to Libya.

In the course of the meeting, the participants:

Stressed the unity of Libya, its national sovereignty over its entire territory, and the cohesion of its citizens, as well as their respect for the choices of its people;
Called on all Libyans to join the political process;
Expressed extreme concern over security, humanitarian and economic conditions in Libya, and called on the international community to carry out its responsibility to alleviate the suffering of the Libyan people;
Stressed that the security and stability of Libya are essential to the security of neighbouring States and an integral element of security and stability in the region;
Expressed the solidarity of the neighbouring States with the Libyan people and full support for the efforts of the Libyan people to advance the political process and restore security and stability.

In the course of deliberations, the Ministers:

1. Welcomed the declaration issued by participants in the Libyan political dialogue held in Tunisia on 10 March 2016, which had welcomed the statement issued on 23 February 2016 by a majority of members of House of Representatives, who expressed their support for the composition of the Government of National Accord. The Ministers also affirmed their commitment to the Libyan Political Agreement signed in Skhirat on 17 December 2015, stressed the need to protect the institutions created by the that Agreement, and called on the House of Representatives and the State Council to carry out their responsibility to complete the United Nations-sponsored political process.

2. Reaffirmed the support of the neighbouring States for the Political Agreement sponsored by the United Nations and for the Presidency Council of the Government of National Accord, headed by Mr. Fayiz al-Sarraj, and stressed the need to fulfil the remaining commitments under that Agreement.

3. Expressed deep concern over the spread of terrorist organizations in certain Libyan regions, which represented a genuine threat to the Libyan people, the future of the political process, and the security and stability of the neighbouring States and the region as a whole. They stressed the importance of strengthening cooperation among the neighbouring States with regard to border security.

4. Stressed the need to expedite the transfer of the Presidency Council of the Government of National Accord to the capital, Tripoli, so that it could carry out its functions and fulfil its responsibilities to counter terrorism, organized crime and illegal migration, secure the borders and improve the living standards of the Libyan people.

5. Reaffirmed the key role of the United Nations and the Security Council pursuant to its resolution 2259 (2015) and other relevant resolutions, which are aimed at providing the Presidency Council and the Government of National Accord with all the means and mechanisms they need to establish security and stability in Libya.

6. Strongly rejected any military intervention in Libya and stressed that any military action aimed at countering terrorism must be carried out in response to a request from the Government of National Accord and in accordance with the Charter of the United Nations, owing to the implications of the situation in Libya for the security and stability of its neighbouring States and of the region as a whole.

7. Commended the efforts of Mr. Martin Kobler, Special Representative of the Secretary-General and Head of UNSMIL, to ensure the success of the political process.

8. Expressed the solidarity of neighbouring States with Tunisia in the wake of the terrorist attack against the city of Ben Guerdane and their support for the efforts of Tunisia to respond to the scourge of terrorism.

9. Thanked Tunisia for hosting the headquarters of UNSMIL and for helping to ensure the success of the eighth ministerial meeting of Libya's neighbouring States.

10. Called on the chair, Tunisia, to convey this declaration to the President of the Security Council, the Secretary-General of the United Nations, the Secretariat of the League of Arab States, the African Union Commission and the European Union.

11. Stressed that neighbouring States had an important role to play in supporting the Libyan political process, and that influential international Powers must consult with those States regularly. It was agreed that the mechanism established by neighbouring States' would remain in session, in order to continue consultations on developments in Libya, contact the Libyan actors and urge them to accede to the political agreement, and continue to coordinate with the United Nations and influential international actors.

12. Requested the chair to convey their highest consideration to the President of Tunisia, His Excellency Mr. Beji Caid Essebsi, and their thanks for the generous hospitality and kindness of Tunisia and the efforts made to ensure the success of the current session. The Ministers also expressed their sincere congratulations to the Tunisian people on the occasion of the 60th anniversary of its independence.

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29Mar16

Final declaration of the eighth ministerial meeting of Libya's neighbouring States