Mister President,

The EU thanks the experts for their important report and work, which substantially contributes to ongoing efforts and progress on the road to lasting peace and unity in Libya.

The renewal of this important mandate enables strengthened cooperation between the international community, the FFM and Libyan institutions. It also provides the opportunity to strengthen capacity building and technical assistance to advance the protection of human rights and accountability processes across the country.  In this light, we reiterate the importance of continued and effective assistance to the Mission.

The FFM report sheds light on the deeply worrying human rights situation and violations that occur in the country. While there is a reported decrease in the number of foreign fighters and mercenaries, a full withdrawal has not yet taken place, an issue of grave impact on protracting the conflict. Violations of human rights and international humanitarian law take place with almost complete impunity, including sexual and gender-based violence, extrajudicial killings, enforced disappearances, arbitrary detentions and torture against detainees, migrants, refugees and human rights defenders, including women human rights defenders, while civic space continues to shrink. The conditions in which asylum seekers, migrants and refugees are detained in Libya are likewise deeply alarming.

The EU calls upon all political actors in Libya to refrain from taking actions that would deepen divisions and undermine the hard-won stability achieved since the signing of the ceasefire agreement in October 2020. We call on all parties to return to a Libyan-led and Libyan-owned political process under UN auspices. We stress the need to fulfil the aspirations of the more than 2.8 million Libyans who have registered to vote to choose their leaders through credible, transparent and inclusive elections. 

We would like to encourage the Libyan government, the international community and the UN to implement current and future recommendations by the FFM. The EU stands ready to work with Libya towards a peaceful, stable future while supporting its stability, independence, territorial integrity and national unity.

Thank you.