The UN Security Council is set to vote on a draft resolution that urges all foreign forces and mercenaries to leave Libya, and authorizes a small UN team to monitor the ceasefire agreement that ordered their departure.
The results of the voting on the proposed resolution are expected to be announced on Friday.
The resolution would approve UN Secretary-General Antonio Guterres’ proposals on the composition and operational aspects of the ceasefire monitoring mission, laid out in a letter to the council.
The resolution also welcomes the ceasefire agreement concluded on 23 October 2020, and the formation of an interim Government of National Unity (GNU) that is charged with leading the country to elections on 24 December. It also calls on the GNU to make preparations to ensure free, fair, and inclusive presidential and parliamentary elections.
The proposed resolution strongly urges all member states to “respect and support the full implementation of the ceasefire agreement, including through the withdrawal of all foreign forces and mercenaries from Libya without delay.” It also demands full compliance with the arms embargo on Libya.
In the 7 April letter, the UN chief proposed “an initial maximum number of 60 monitors” for “a phased deployment” of the ceasefire monitoring, part of the UN Support Mission in Libya (UNSMIL).
The monitors would be deployed to the strategic city of Sirte, the gateway to the country’s major oil fields and export terminals, “once all requirements for a permanent United Nations presence have been met, including security, logistical, medical and operational aspects,” the letter said.
In the meantime, “a forward presence” would be established in the capital Tripoli “as soon as conditions permit.” Guterres said, “the proposed number of UNSMIL monitors takes into account the Libyan request, as well as measures to allow regular rotation of personnel in and out of Libya while ensuring flexibility in the geographic coverage in the monitoring area.”
A recently released report by UN experts accused several foreign governments of turning the oil-rich country into a stage to play out rivalries. As well as the ignoring of UN sanctions and a decade-long arms embargo, which it said has remained “totally ineffective.”