2022 Speech - Libya
| Session Number | 77 |
|---|---|
| Year | 2022 |
| Country | Libya |
| Country Code | LBY |
| Speech |
At the outset, it is my pleasure on behalf of my country’s delegation and myself to congratulate Mr. Csaba Korosi on his assumption of the presidency of the General Assembly at its seventy-seventh session. I wish him every success.
I also express my sincere thanks and appreciation to Mr. Abdulla Shahid for his efforts and invaluable work during his presidency of the General Assembly at its previous session. I further commend the continuing efforts of Mr. Antonio Guterres, who leads the United Nations with wisdom and balance in times that are difficult all over the world. My country, Libya, which I am honoured to serve and represent, has endured a decade of suffering and hope while building its institutions and establishing the principle of democracy. The Libyan people have demonstrated to the world that they are one fabric, knit together with the same cohesion as their land and shared future. In spite of all their challenges, the Libyan people have continued to work to build a united country thanks to their thoughtfulness, tolerance and patriotism. They give us the determination and hope we need to continue working to realize their aspirations to build our State and pave the way for peace, stability and prosperity. Current events constantly remind us of the past. The Libyan Liberation Army, which was established even before the creation of the Libyan State, fought alongside the armies of the free world. After the fall of Nazism and fascism, Libya earned its full independence, born of our national struggle and a regional and international agreement that paved the way for our founding fathers to build our State, unite our homeland and embark on a path to development and prosperity that made Libya an example of development in record time. International policies on Libya today are still far from the reality we need. The individual interests of the countries involved in Libyan affairs, combined with proxy wars and disagreements on how to resolve Libya’s situation, have not given us an opportunity to establish our own national choice. Negative international interventions have led to contradictory solutions that push my country towards armed confrontations that do not spare innocent people and have resulted in intransigent political positions that do not allow for a middle ground where gaps can be bridged and national partnerships realized. The Libyan Presidency Council remains committed to its role, pursuant to the Libyan Political Agreement. As the supreme political authority, the Presidency Council represents the country’s unity, locally and internationally, while assuming the role of commander-in-chief of the Libyan army. It is also responsible for the noble task of leading inclusive national reconciliation efforts in order to pave the way for a democratic and peaceful transition of power through simultaneous presidential and parliamentary elections. I would like to take this opportunity to thank the African Union for cooperating with us in launching the National Reconciliation Project, which is the most important pillar supporting all paths to the stability and peace we desire. Those responsibilities compel us to contribute to impartial and balanced national efforts, despite attempts by certain political parties to push us towards confrontation, which we are making every effort to avoid. We are trying to resolve political disputes, not participate in them. In that regard, the Presidency Council has also been closely following the rounds of dialogue between Parliament and the High State Council. That dialogue has yet to result in an agreement on the constitutional rules for holding the parliamentary and presidential elections. The Presidency Council continues to stress that such dialogue should not continue indefinitely and is ready to intervene to break the political deadlock, if necessary. With regard to the economy, the Libyan Presidency Council supports all the efforts that have made it possible to restore gas and oil production in every region of Libya. That is certainly in line with national interests and helps to maintain stability in international markets, which have been under severe pressure, especially in countries that are major energy consumers. Furthermore, based on its balanced national position, the Libyan Presidency Council is committed to the transparent and fair management of oil revenues, which are a wealth that belongs to all Libyans. The goal is to ensure that public funds are not a cause for political conflict and are used to benefit all Libyans throughout the country without discrimination on political or geographic grounds. If we manage to achieve that goal, it will reduce the current conflict for power and create a more stable environment conducive to the democratic transition we desire. My country takes a positive view of the role of the United Nations in Libya in spite of the recent slow pace of intervention, and we continue to expect it to play an active role through the new leadership of the United Nations Support Mission in Libya. We call on the United Nations to embark on serious efforts in support of inclusive national solutions that can help break the political deadlock. The current impasse has paved the way for individual ventures and initiatives that risk undermining all the political gains that have been made thanks to the Libyan dialogue held under the auspices of the United Nations. I also call for restoring momentum to our economic process. It is one of the three tracks of the Berlin Conference on Libya, which neglected issues related to transparency and justice in the management of oil resources, public expenditure and addressing corruption. While we may have thought that the errors of the past would never be repeated, today’s world is on the threshold of a new international order that brings reminders of the suffering that humankind endured in the early twentieth century. It is high time for human conscience to speak out in favour of peace and for the entire world to support the international principles adopted by the United Nations in order to uphold the principles of maintaining the sovereignty of States, resolving conflict by peaceful means, respecting good-neighbourly relations and refraining from destabilizing the security of nations. I also call for respect for the right of people to use nuclear energy for peaceful purposes, in line with the criteria defined by the International Atomic Energy Agency. Furthermore, my country is on the front lines in the fight against terrorism. I call for renewed unity in combating terrorism, as it remains a threat to every country and spares no race, religion or civilization. My country has taken on all of its responsibilities at the international level to stop the financing and spreading of terrorism. I reiterate from this rostrum my country’s permanent commitment to supporting the right of the Palestinian people to establish their own State, ending Israel’s settlement-building and acts of aggression and upholding the international resolutions on the issue. This month the Libyan people observed a minute of silence to mark Martyrs’ Day. It is also a tribute to the martyrdom of our national hero, Omar Al-Mukhtar, who resisted the colonizers. The Libyan people are inspired by the combat of its ancestors to learn patience and to be more determined in defending their rights. The Libyan people draw inspiration from their founding fathers to become more tolerant. The current period will be enshrined in the national memory. Future generations will recognize those who supported us and those who undermined our security and plundered our wealth. Owing to its position in Africa with Arab neighbours, Libya is a link between civilizations and an economic hub where the interests of the world are concentrated. The damage that we have experienced has affected not only the Libyan people, but also the region and our international relations. |