President, 

I thank Special Representative Hanna Tetteh for her briefing, and I welcome the Permanent Representative of Libya to today’s meeting. 

For some time now, the Libyan people have been actively exploring appropriate paths to advance political transition, maintain national stability, and accelerate economic development. However, the political process in Libya remains stalled, and the deep-seated conflicts among state institutions are complex and intractable, requiring continued assistance from the international community. I will make four points. 

First, the political process must be accelerated. China welcomes the efforts made by the SRSG to advance the implementation of the political roadmap and commends the continued progress of the structured dialogue. At the same time, it is regrettable to see that relevant Libyan institutions have not made the expected progress in implementing the political roadmap. Certain unilateral measures have further raised political tensions and eroded public trust in state institutions. The continued stagnation of the Libyan political process undermines the collective well-being of the people and the country’s development prospects. Libya’s major political actors should fully respect the calls of the people, engage in sincere dialogue under the UN-facilitated mediation, and build consensus on holding national elections and achieving the unification of state institutions. The international community and the UN should uphold the Libyan-led and Libyan-owned principle and provide greater support to the Libyan political process. 

Second, national security and stability must be consolidated. Recently, Libya has generally stayed stable, but the situation is still fragile, with sporadic clashes occurring from time to time. China calls on all parties in Libya to strictly implement the ceasefire agreement and refrain from any actions that could fuel further tensions. It is incumbent upon the international community to support Libya in advancing the integration of militias, implementing the security arrangement of the capital, and accelerating the integration of military and security forces in the East and the West. The Secretary-General’s report notes that Libya is becoming a major transit hub in regional drug smuggling and trafficking of weapons and persons, which further contributes to instability in the country. There is a need for the international community to support regional countries to deepen law enforcement, border control, and intelligence cooperation to curb cross-border organized crime and reverse this trend as soon as possible. 

Third, the sanctions measures by the Security Council must be implemented. The Security Council recently adopted Resolution 2819, renewing and updating relevant sanctions measures against Libya. The international community must take seriously the real challenges posed by the illicit proliferation of weapons in Libya and uphold the authority and effectiveness of the Council’s arms embargo. All parties must work together to help Libya combat illicit oil smuggling, break up illicit trade and financial networks, and strengthen oversight of oil revenues to ensure that such revenues are genuinely used for national development, reconstruction, as well as the improvement of people’s well-being. The asset freeze imposed on Libya is a special measure taken under special circumstances, the aim of which is to protect the shared wealth of the Libyan people. The frozen assets should not be subject to abuse or erosion. Relevant financial institutions should engage constructively with the Libyan Investment Authority to advance the implementation of reinvestment arrangements and effectively safeguard Libya’s frozen assets. 

Fourth, national development and reconstruction must be supported. As noted in the SG’s report, Libya’s oil production has remained stable, but due to multiple constraints, including institutional fragmentation, the country’s fiscal deficit has widened, leading to higher economic vulnerability. China welcomes the fact that for the first time in 13 years in Libya, the eastern region and the western region have reached an agreement on unified budget. We call on relevant parties to ensure the effective implementation of the agreement to strengthen the transparent management and independent oversight of public spending and to move forward with economic governance reforms. International partners should continue to strengthen development cooperation with Libya, increase investment in the country, and help accelerate infrastructure development, so as to improve people’s livelihoods and achieve development, thereby creating a favorable environment for Libya to attain lasting stability. 

President, 

China firmly supports Libya’s sovereignty, independence, unity, and territorial integrity. China will continue to take into full account Libya’s legitimate concerns while strengthening communication and cooperation with Libya. We stand ready to work along with the international community to make unremitting efforts to help Libya embark on a path of long-term stability, development, and prosperity at an early date. 

Thank you, President.