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United Nations S/ PV.8710 Security Council Provisional Seventy-fifth year 8710th meeting Thursday, 30 January 2020, 10.10 a.m. New York President: Mr. Dang/Mr. Pham. (Viet Nam) Members: Belgium ....................................... Mrs. Van Vlierberge China ......................................... Mr. Wu Haitao Dominican Republic ............................. Ms. Morrison González Estonia ........................................ Mr. Auväärt France ........................................ Mrs. Gueguen Germany ...................................... Mr. Licharz/Mr. Heusgen Indonesia. Mr. Djani Niger ......................................... Mr. Aougi Russian Federation ............................... Mr. Nebenzia Saint Vincent and the Grenadines ................... Ms. King South Africa ................................... Ms. Mogashoa Tunisia ........................................ Mr. Baati United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland .. Mr. Allen United States of America .......................... Mrs. Craft Agenda The situation in Libya Report of the Secretary-General on the United Nations Support Mission in Libya (S/2020/41) This record contains the text of speeches delivered in English and of the translation of speeches delivered in other languages. The final text will be printed in the Official Records of the Security Council. Corrections should be submitted to the original languages only. They should be incorporated in a copy of the record and sent under the signature of a member of the delegation concerned to the Chief of the Verbatim Reporting Service, room U-0506 ([email protected]). Corrected records will be reissued electronically on the Official Document System of the United Nations (http://documents.un.org). 20-02365 (E) *2002365* S/PV.8710 The situation in Libya 30/01/2020 The meeting was called to order at 10.10 a.m. update the Council today on what has occurred since the Secretary General’s briefing. Adoption of the agenda When we started preparatory consultations for the The agenda was adopted. Berlin conference in September 2019, at the peak of the war, we were under no illusions about the challenges The situation in Libya of the task that lay ahead. We also knew that we had to mobilize in order to prevent Libya’s further downward Report of the Secretary-General on the spiral into chaos and civil war. I wish to express my United Nations Support Mission in Libya gratitude to Chancellor Merkel and the Federal Republic (S/2020/41) of Germany for working relentlessly with us in the The President: In accordance with rule 37 of the months leading up to the 19 January leaders’ gathering. Council’s provisional rules of procedure, I invite the At the Berlin conference, representatives of representative of Libya to participate in this meeting. countries concerned and regional organizations, some In accordance with rule 39 of the Council’s of which have directly or indirectly fuelled the conflict, provisional rules of procedure, I invite Mr. Ghassan agreed not to interfere in Libya’s internal affairs and Salamé, Special Representative of the Secretary- to abide by the United Nations arms embargo. The General and Head of the United Nations Support final 55-point Berlin communiqué comprehensively Mission in Libya, to participate in this meeting. tackles the full range of issues underpinning the Libyan problem set. It is buttressed by the detailed operational Mr. Salamé is joining today’s meeting via video- plan of United Nations Support Mission in Libya teleconference from Brazzaville. (UNSMIL), which forms the basis for the Mission’s The Security Council will now begin its consideration work in the coming period. of the item on its agenda. The Berlin conference was a serious effort to try I wish to draw the attention of Council member to to unify a discordant international community and to document S/2020/41, which contains which contains the give hope to the beleaguered Libyans in the form of the report of the Secretary-General on the United Nations provision of a protective international umbrella by the Support Mission in Libya. summit participants. That umbrella will allow Libyans to restore a measure of their plundered sovereignty and At this meeting, the Security Council will hear come together to chart their way forward. briefings by Mr. Salamé and Mr. Mathias Licharz, speaking on behalf of the Chair of the Security Council The summit was held against the backdrop of the Committee established pursuant to resolution 1970 truce called for by Presidents Putin and Erdoğan on (2011), concerning Libya. 8 January and accepted by both parties to the conflict. Following the 12 January commencement of the truce, I now give the floor to Mr. Salamé. there was an initial reduction in violence, which Mr. Salamé: I am pleased to be joining the Security provided the residents of greater Tripoli a much-needed Council from Brazzaville, where I attended the eighth respite from the suffering of war. summit of the African Union High-Level Committee But with recent developments on the ground, I on Libya at the level of Heads of State and Government, regret to report that the truce holds only in name. hosted by the President of the Republic of the Congo, Artillery exchanges have significantly increased in His Excellency Mr. Sassou Nguesso. In my intervention, Tripoli in recent days, with an associated increase in I reiterated the Organization’s strong partnership with civilian casualties due to the use of indiscriminate the African Union as we work together in the pursuit of shelling. Since 6 January, we have verified at least peace and stability in Libya. 21 civilian casualties —18 deaths and 3 injuries — of On 21 January, the Secretary-General briefed the conflict-related incidents in and around Tripoli. In the Council on the outcomes of the Berlin conference and, last two days alone, four children — all under the age of most important, on the collective efforts ahead in order 12 — perished as a result of shelling in the Al-Hadaba to peacefully resolve the Libyan conflict. I will briefly area of Tripoli, two of whom died at the scene of the 2/23 20-02365 30/01/2020 The situation in Libya S/PV.8710 attack, while the other two died in intensive care; the bluntly, Hawk anti-aircraft defence systems. As recently last one died just yesterday afternoon. as Tuesday, the presence of foreign naval assets, including warships, was witnessed off the coast of We are also witnessing severe fighting outside Tripoli, in addition to cargo ships. Tripoli. On 26 January, the Libyan National Army (LNA) launched an offensive against Government All those manoeuvres to resupply the two parties of National Accord (GNA) forces in the Abu Qurayn threaten to precipitate a new and much more dangerous area, south of Misrata, prompting heavy clashes with conflagration. They violate the spirit and the letter dozens of casualties on both sides. Those clashes were of the Berlin conference. I urge the parties and their accompanied by fixed-wing strikes conducted by the foreign sponsors to desist from reckless actions and LNA and drone strikes by both sides. instead renew their expressed commitment to work As I speak, the battle for Abu Qurayn is ongoing. towards a ceasefire. On 8 January, the LNA extended its unilaterally As the Secretary-General briefed the Council declared no-fly zone to include Mitiga airport. On on 21 January, we received from both parties — on 22 January, the LNA further extended that no-fly 19 January, in Berlin — the full roster of names of their zone southwards towards Gharyan and Tarhouna and military representatives to attend the Joint Military threatened to shoot down any military or civilian Commission talks in Geneva. Those talks form the aircraft approaching Mitiga airport. Since that time, pillar of the military track and must be launched as soon Mitiga airport has been shelled on three occasions, as possible. I had hoped to be able to brief the Council resulting in civilian casualties, damaging the civilian today from Geneva, not Brazzaville, with the talks airport’s infrastructure and temporarily halting air having started on Tuesday. The GNA representatives traffic. On 28 January, two days ago, GNA forces are ready to engage, and I met with them personally reportedly downed an LNA drone in the vicinity of in Tunis on Monday to lay out the framework for the Misrata. Since 12 January, the Mission has recorded expected talks. As of yet, the LNA delegation has more than 110 reported violations of the truce. been unable to confirm its participation, although I I am also deeply worried about the military am scheduled to meet General Haftar in Al-Rajma in reinforcements received by both sides, raising the two days’ time to push for the team to be dispatched spectre of a broader conflict engulfing the wider without delay. region. The warring parties have continued to receive It is imperative that the Joint Military Commission a sizeable amount of advanced equipment, in addition meet under United Nations auspices to transform the to fighters and advisers from foreign sponsors — in truce — or whatever is left of it — into a ceasefire brazen violation of the arms embargo and the pledges and discuss the modalities for a ceasefire monitoring made by representatives of those countries in Berlin. mechanism, which I know is of great interest to the The LNA has reinforced its forces along the front lines Council. The Commission will also seek to reach an in Tripoli with arms, equipment and infantry elements, agreement on long-term security arrangements, while including foreign fighters. directly addressing grievances expressed by both sides. Meanwhile, there has been a notable increase in The Council’s collective support and engagement in heavy cargo flights — several per day — to Benina that process is vital. Consolidating the truce is critical airport and Al-Khadim air base in eastern Libya for the success of our parallel efforts to start the Libyan delivering military equipment to the LNA. Yesterday political forum, thereby enabling the parties to discuss three boats were in Tripoli and Misrata delivering new transitional institutional arrangements.