The Permanent Representative of the United Kingdom to the United Nations welcomed the investigations being conducted by the International Criminal Court (ICC) in Libya. As well as the issuance of arrest warrants against those wanted for war crimes by the Court’s Prosecutor.
In his speech before the UN Security Council, the British diplomat praised the cooperation of the Government of National Unity (GNU) in facilitating the visit of Prosecutor, Karim Khan to Libya, and allowing him to meet with the families of the victims and survivors.
The British diplomat welcomed the briefing provided by Khan to the UN Security Council, and the report issued by his office on the situation in Libya, considering that the briefing and the report are evidence of the court’s transparency.
“We have taken note of the results of the ICC’s investigations, and are grateful to the Office of the Prosecutor and the Court’s support for it. The continued success of the investigations requires more support from the GNU and all concerned Libyan authorities,” the British diplomat added.
He thanked the UN Fact-Finding Mission (FFM) for “sharing its knowledge and experience with the Libyan people, encouraging the United Nations Support Mission in Libya (UNSMIL) and the Human Rights Office to support this mission because it is an opportunity to achieve transitional justice in Libya to ensure long-term security and stability.”
Libya has been in chaos since a NATO-backed uprising toppled longtime leader Muammar Gaddafi in 2011. The county has for years been split between rival administrations, each backed by rogue militias and foreign governments.
The current stalemate grew out of the failure to hold elections in December 2021, and the refusal of Prime Minister Abdel-Hamid Dbaiba, who is leading the transitional government, to step down. In response, the country’s eastern-based Parliament appointed a rival Prime Minister, Fathi Bashagha, who has for months sought to install his government in Tripoli.
