Statement by H.E. Ambassador ISHIKANE Kimihiro, Permanent Representative of Japan to the United Nations, at the Security Council Briefing, Agenda Item on "the Situation in Libya"

Madam President,
 
I thank Special Representative of the Secretary General Bathily for his briefing.
 
Japan fully supports UNSMIL and SRSG Bathily in their tireless efforts to engage with a diverse range of Libyan interlocutors from all regions and all segments of society. They include the political, military, and economic sectors as well as from civil society including women and youth groups. We also express our wholehearted support for UN efforts to bring together all partners including regional actors and all concerned across the international community.
 
To overcome the present and long-standing political stalemate in Libya, it is of foremost importance that the Council be united in calling upon all Libyan parties to join Mr. Bathily’s efforts, above all, his new initiative to facilitate elections in 2023 through high-level panel initiative Japan welcomes. This is a matter of great urgency. The risk of destabilization will be higher if more time passes without progress. The Council should not allow the political actors to waste time for their own profit. Japan echoes UNSMIL’s statement of 5 January, which encourages Libyan political leaders to swiftly agree on complete, final and time-bound arrangements for the holding of elections in Libya in 2023. This is critically important for the people of Libya to unite under government they can trust and take back their future in their own hands.
 
We welcome recent positive developments on the security track, including the resumption of the 5+5 Joint Military Committee’s activities. We strongly hope that this will advance the implementation of the ceasefire agreement, particularly the joint work between the international ceasefire monitoring team and Libyan monitors launched on 15 January.
 
At the same time, Japan encourages Libyans and the international community to continue working together to further implement the ceasefire agreement in order to bring stability to the country. Areas requiring sustained attention include the withdrawal of mercenaries, foreign forces and foreign fighters, as well as disarmament, demobilization and reintegration (DDR) and security sector reform (SSR).
 
The continued efforts to unify key governance institutions in Libya, including the Central Bank of Libya, are also critical. Japan highly appreciates and expresses support to UNSMIL for its role in advancing these efforts. This process is an essential step to ensure the fair distribution of revenues from Libya’s natural resources. These resources should serve as the wealth of the whole Libyan nation, contributing to the country’s national budget in a transparent manner.
 
To conclude, let me reiterate Japan’s firm commitment to making continued efforts to bring all Libyans together to stabilize Libya. As a Council Member, and in my capacity as the Chair of the Libya Sanctions Committee, I am looking forward to cooperating with all partners.
 
I thank you, Madam President.