Libya

Her Excellency Ms. Annalena Baerbock, President of the 80th session of the UN General Assembly, His Excellency Mr. António Guterres, Secretary-General of the United Nations, Your Majesties, Highnesses and Excellencies, Ladies and Gentlemen,

On behalf of the Libyan people, I congratulate you on the occasion of the eightieth anniversary of the founding of the United Nations, which remains one of the greatest pillars of the international order, and one of the most prominent beacons of multilateral action in the history of humanity. We also express our appreciation for the convening of this session under the theme: "Peace, Development, and Human Rights" — principles in which we believe firmly, and which we work to entrench in our homeland, and in our regional and international environment.

And as we celebrate this international anniversary, we also commemorate the seventieth anniversary of Libya's membership in the United Nations. This was a culmination of the struggle of the Libyan people, when the voices of its men rose from within the walls of this hall, demanding freedom and independence after decades of colonialism, and the Organization responded to this just call, issuing the historic resolution that led to Libya's independence in 1951, affirming the right of peoples to self-determination.

Ladies and Gentlemen,

Today I stand before you representing the will of a people who still cling to hope, believing in their ability to shape a stable and prosperous future.

Libya is not a geography of conflicts, nor an arena for settling scores or exporting crises, but rather a homeland endowed with natural wealth and a cohesive social depth, and enormous youth energies that form the backbone for building the modern state.

Since its birth, Libya has been linked to the United Nations by a historic relationship based on partnership and mutual respect — and today, at a new pivotal moment, we look forward to an effective and integrated role from the Organization in supporting us to cross from crisis toward a sustainable path of stability and democracy.

Despite the challenges and risks surrounding our country, our people are firmly convinced that their national memory, their diverse social bonds, and their long history are factors of resilience and the ability to overcome crises.

But let me be frank with you: Libya has exhausted many traditional models and mechanisms that did not keep pace with the complexity of the political and social scene, and negatively affected Libyans' trust in the proposed paths, which places on everyone a shared responsibility to review previous approaches, and to avoid temporary solutions or narrow understandings that have only prolonged the crisis.

We firmly believe that any solution that does not restore ownership of the political path to the Libyan people, and does not stem from their free will, is a solution exposed to sterile repetition and failed experiments.

In this context, we present to you today our clear political vision, built on four main pillars:

First: Restoring full national sovereignty, and rejecting all forms of foreign interference, whatever its formula or justifications.

Second: Reaching a comprehensive national consensus through a genuine, inclusive dialogue, held inside Libya, under an independent national umbrella, with the participation of all active parties, without exclusion.

Third: Unifying the sovereign institutions, foremost among them the security, defense, and finance institutions, according to professional mechanisms not subject to polarization or quota-sharing.

Fourth: Ending the transitional phase, through a clear constitutional basis, and free and transparent elections, in which Libyans choose who governs them by their own will, without guardianship or external imposition.

Ladies and Gentlemen,

Proceeding from our political responsibility, and despite the challenges, we have been able to preserve the highest degrees of stability, and avoid sliding toward violence, and to affirm that the blood of Libyans is a red line, and that the unity of Libyan territory, its sovereignty, and its social fabric are not subject to bargaining.

We have committed to implementing the ceasefire agreement signed in October 2020, and we established the Security Arrangements Committee in the capital Tripoli, under my direct supervision, which has contributed to strengthening security stability, making the current phase one of the calmest periods in years.

Distinguished attendees,

The Libyan economy — despite the challenges it faces — possesses the elements that enable it to play a pivotal role in the country's renaissance.

The absence of a unified budget, and institutional division, have constituted real obstacles to development; therefore, we affirm our support for the economic track through the Higher Financial Committee, and in partnership with the United Nations mission, with the aim of unifying public spending, strengthening the principles of transparency and accountability, and enshrining justice in the distribution of wealth.

Ladies and Gentlemen,

Illegal migration is not merely a security issue, but a humanitarian challenge with deep economic roots. We appeal to the international community to adopt a comprehensive developmental approach, based on supporting infrastructure, and creating job opportunities in source countries, in partnership with the African Union, instead of the narrow security approaches that have proven their failure.

In this framework, we have worked to support projects for economic connectivity between North Africa and its southern depth, seeking to create a developmental environment that spares youth from migration, and restores demographic and economic balance on the African continent.

Ladies and Gentlemen,

Our firm position on the Palestinian cause stems from our humanitarian principles, and our Arab and Islamic depth.

In this regard, we condemn in the strongest terms the positions of some states that continue to hide behind an unethical neutrality toward what the Palestinian people are subjected to — particularly in the Gaza Strip — of genocide crimes and flagrant violations of international law.

Eight decades have passed since the founding of the United Nations, and the Palestinian people still languish under occupation, and we demand responsible international action, that ends the occupation, and guarantees the legitimate rights of the Palestinian people.

Ladies and Gentlemen,

Despite everything Libya has gone through of conflicts and divisions, the Libyan people still cling to their democratic choice, believing that the state of law and institutions is not a dream, but a legitimate right.

The time has come for the world to look at Libya not as a complicated political file, but as a story of resilience and will, a homeland that possesses all the elements of success, an honorable history, a cohesive society, promising resources, and a free people — aspiring to peace, democracy, and prosperity.

Just as democracy is our choice, peace and reconciliation are an inevitable destiny in our conscience, and this is confirmed by our historical experiences, that our people's capacity for forgiveness, tolerance and fairness is historically proven, for the opportunities to move beyond the past, and turn its pages, are ample in Libya, and national reconciliation, before being a necessity for building the state, is a national legacy we take pride in.

And we see the Libya of the future as a stable state, sovereign, with unified institutions, strong through its people, at peace with itself, open to the world, and an effective partner in its regional and international environment.

Long live Libya, one and independent,

And long live its people, free and dignified.

And peace be upon you, and God's mercy and blessings.