Security Council resolution 2656 (2022) [on extension of the mandate of the UN Support Mission in Libya (UNSMIL) until 31 Oct. 2023]
Symbol: S/RES/2656 (2022)
Date: 2022-10-28
Status: adopted
Agenda: S/77 [220] UN SUPPORT MISSION IN LIBYA
S/77 [219] LIBYA SITUATION
S/ X The situation in Libya.
Subjects: UN Support Mission in Libya|UN. Special Representative of the Secretary-General and Head of the United Nations Support Mission in Libya|SPECIAL MISSIONS|GOOD OFFICES|CEASEFIRES|ELECTIONS|LIBYA
Votes in favour: 15
Votes against: 0
Abstentions: 0
Voting record:
country: ALBANIA
vote: yes
country: BRAZIL
vote: yes
country: CHINA
vote: yes
country: FRANCE
vote: yes
country: GABON
vote: yes
country: GHANA
vote: yes
country: INDIA
vote: yes
country: IRELAND
vote: yes
country: KENYA
vote: yes
country: MEXICO
vote: yes
country: NORWAY
vote: yes
country: RUSSIAN FEDERATION
vote: yes
country: UNITED ARAB EMIRATES
vote: yes
country: UNITED KINGDOM
vote: yes
country: UNITED STATES
vote: yes

               United Nations                                                                    S/RES/2656 (2022)
               Security Council                                                  Distr.: General
                                                                                 28 October 2022




               Resolution 2656 (2022)
               Adopted by the Security Council at its 9173rd meeting, on
               28 October 2022

                    The Security Council,
                    Recalling its resolution 1970 (2011) and all its subsequent resolutions on Libya,
               including resolutions 2259 (2015), 2510 (2020), 2542 (2020), 2570 (2021), 2629
               (2022), and 2647 (2022),
                     Reaffirming its strong commitment to an inclusive Libyan-led and Libyanowned political process, facilitated by the United Nations and supported by the
               international community, including holding free, fair, transparent and inclusive
               national presidential and parliamentary elections across Libya as soon as possible,
               noting that all Libyan stakeholders previously gave strong guarantees to support and
               respect the independence and integrity of the electoral process, as well as the elections
               results, and expressing support for resuming facilitation of intra-Libyan consultations
               to create the conditions and circumstances, including a secure environment, for
               elections on a constitutional and legal basis, in order to end the transition period,
                    Expressing concern about the security situation in Libya, particularly the
               recurring violent clashes between armed groups in Tripoli region, resulting in civilian
               casualties and destruction of civilian infrastructure, and calling on all parties to
               preserve the prevailing calm on the ground,
                     Expressing its strong condemnation of the indiscriminate use of weapons, in
               populated areas and their consequences for the civilian population and calling upon
               all parties to refrain from such practices in accordance with their obligations under
               international law, particularly regarding the protection of civilians in armed conflict,
                    Recognising the important role of neighbouring countries and regional
               organisations in support of the United Nations, recalling resolution 2616 (2021),
               expressing concern over the impact of the conflict on neighbouring countries
               including with regards to threats arising from the illicit transfer, destabilising
               accumulation and misuse of weapons and the flow of armed groups and mercenaries
               and, encouraging further international support and regional cooperation between
               Libya, neighbouring countries and relevant United Nations bodies, including the
               Peacebuilding Commission, in support of peacebuilding and sustaining peace in the
               country and the region,
                    Expressing concern at the threat posed by the diversion and proliferation of arms
               and ammunition in Libya, which undermines stability, and calling on key Libyan




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               institutions, with support from the United Nations, to take steps to secure and
               effectively manage stockpiles, clear explosive ordnance and explosive remnants of
               war from hazardous areas, and protect civilians from the risks of unplanned
               explosions at munition sites,
                     Underlining the need to plan for the disarmament, demobilisation and
               reintegration of armed groups and all relevant non-state armed actors, as part of an
               integrated, comprehensive and coherent approach to peacebuilding, including the
               return of their members to their countries of origin, further underlining that this
               should include regional coordination and take into account peacebuilding needs and
               priorities, recognising the need to plan for security sector reform and the
               establishment of an inclusive, unified, accountable, civilian -led security architecture
               for Libya as a whole, and calling on the Libyan authorities to engage and achieve
               progress on this issue,
                     Urging Libyan institutions and authorities to ensure the full, equal, effective and
               meaningful participation of women at all levels, including in leadership positions, and
               in all activities and decision-making relating to inclusive political processes,
               democratic transition, conflict resolution and peacebuilding, recognising the need to
               protect women, women’s rights organisations, and women peacebuilders from threats
               and reprisals, strongly encourages all parties to create a safe and enabling
               environment for members of civil society, including those who promote and protect
               human rights, to carry out their work independently and without undue interference,
               including in situations of armed conflict, and to address threats, harassment and
               violence, to counter hate speech against them, and to protect and promote human
               rights in accordance with obligations under international law, and supporting the
               efforts of UNSMIL to facilitate wider engagement and participation of women from
               across the spectrum of Libyan society in the political process and public institutions,
               recognising that the political process should be inclusive of all Libyans, including
               youth and civil society,
                     Recalling that Libya’s oil resources are for the benefit of all Libyans and need
               to remain under the exclusive control of the National Oil Corporation, calling on all
               parties to allow the National Oil Corporation to undertake its work without disruption
               interference, or politicisation, and recalling the importance of Libyan oversight over
               Libya’s economic and financial institutions, which includes the responsibility to
               ensure the transparent, equitable and accountable management of revenue across the
               whole country,
                    Reaffirming the importance of establishing a Libyan-led mechanism bringing
               together stakeholders from across the country to set spending priorities and ensure oil
               and gas revenues are managed in a transparent, equitable and accountable manner
               with effective Libyan oversight, and reiterating UNSMIL’s role in helping to
               consolidate the economic arrangements of Libyan institutions,
                     Reaffirming its intention to ensure that assets frozen pursuant to paragraph 17
               of resolution 1970 (2011) shall at a later stage be made available to and for the benefit
               of the Libyan people,
                     Expressing concern at the humanitarian situation in Libya, including inadequate
               living standards and insufficient provision of basic services and th e situation of
               internally displaced persons (IDPs), including the inability of IDPs to return to their
               homes due to the presence of explosive hazards and threats of retaliation, further
               expressing grave concern about the smuggling of migrants and refugees and human
               trafficking through Libya, and at the situation faced by migrants, and refugees,
               including arbitrary detention, ill treatment, and their exposure to sexual and gender -
               based violence, underlining the importance of tackling the root causes of the
               smuggling of migrants and human trafficking, welcoming the work of UNSMIL in

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           coordinating and supporting the provision of humanitarian assistance for refugees and
           migrants, calling on the Libyan authorities to take steps towards the closing of
           migrant detention centres and to alleviate urgently the suffering of all people in Libya
           by speeding up the delivery of public services to all parts of the country and urging
           all parties to allow and facilitate full, safe and unhindered humanitarian access,
                 Recalling resolution 2510 (2020), which demanded that all parties to the conflict
           comply with their obligations under international law including international
           humanitarian law, and emphasising that those responsible for violations of
           international humanitarian law and violations and abuses of human rights must be
           held accountable,
                 Urging all parties to implement the relevant resolutions on Women, Peace and
           Security Agenda and to prevent and respond to conflict -related sexual violence, and
           calling on the Libyan authorities to end impunity for sexual and gender-based
           violence crimes in line with relevant Security Council resolutions, including
           resolution 1325 (2000),
                 Recalling the importance of the protection of children, as set out in relevant
           Security Council resolutions, and taking appropriate measures in this regard,
           expressing concern about reported violations and abuses against children in Libya
           despite the 23 October 2020 ceasefire agreement, in particular those involving the
           killing and maiming of children, the abductions of children, sexual violence
           committed against children, and the recruitment or use of children, and urging all
           parties to immediately end and prevent such practices,
                 Welcoming the United Nations Sustainable Development Cooperation
           Framework 2023–2025, which demonstrates the commitment of Libyan stakeholders
           and the United Nations to work together through a humanitarian, development, and
           peacebuilding nexus approach to address the structural causes of fragility and
           remaining humanitarian needs to drive transformative change and transition to
           sustainable peace and development across the country, in support of the 2030 Agenda
           and the Sustainable Development Goals,
                Recalling its determination in its resolution 2213 (2015) that the situation in
           Libya continues to constitute a threat to international peace and security,
                 1.   Decides to extend until 31 October 2023 the mandate of the United Nations
           Support Mission in Libya (UNSMIL), as an integrated special political mission t o
           carry out its mandate, as set out in resolution 2542 (2020) and paragraph 16 of
           resolution 2570 (2021);
                 2.   Welcomes the appointment of Abdoulaye Bathily as Special Representative
           of the Secretary-General (SRSG) for Libya and Head of UNSMIL, and urges all
           Libyan parties and key stakeholders to engage constructively and fully with the SRSG
           in fulfilment of his mandate;
                 3.    Reiterates its request for UNSMIL to implement the recommendations of
           the Independent Strategic Review (S/2021/716), including by strengthening the use
           of strategic communications to support the mission’s activities further reiterates its
           request that, in the implementation of the recommendations of the Strategic Review,
           UNSMIL explores all avenues to increase efficiency and redeploy existing resources,
           including through prioritisation and the reconfiguration of tasks and resources, as
           needed and where appropriate, and requests the Secretary-General to update the
           Council on the implementation of the recommendations of the Strategic Review in
           the reporting requested in paragraph 11 of this resolution;
                4.   Recalls the Libyan Political Dialogue Forum (LPDF) Roadmap, regrets
           that a number of its deliverables have yet to be achieved, underlines that the

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               objectives and governing principles as set out in the LPDF Roadmap, in particular
               articles 1, 2 and 6, are still relevant to the political process, including the principles
               of financial responsibility, anti-corruption and transparency, rejects actions that could
               lead to violence or greater divisions in Libya, recognises the desire of the Libyan
               people to have their say in who governs them through elections, and urges the Libyan
               political institutions and key stakeholders to agree a roadmap to deliver these
               elections as soon as possible across the country, on a constitutional and legal basis,
               through dialogue, compromise and constructive engagement, in a transparent and
               inclusive manner, aiming at, inter alia, forming a unified Libyan government able to
               govern across the country and representing the whole people of Libya;
                     5.   Welcomes the support provided by the United Nations to the Libyan High
               National Elections Commission (HNEC), and encourages the continuation of this
               support to enable the HNEC to deliver free, fair, transparent and inclusive national
               presidential and parliamentary elections across Libya;
                     6.   Underlines the importance of an inclusive, comprehensive national
               dialogue and reconciliation process based on the principles of transitional justice,
               welcomes the efforts of the Presidential Council to launch the national reconciliation
               process, and the support of the African Union in that regard, including to facilitate a
               meeting on national reconciliation in Libya in the coming months, recognises the
               important role of other regional organisations, including the League of Arab States
               and the European Union, and calls upon the relevant Libyan institutions and
               authorities to implement confidence-building measures to create an environment
               conducive for successful national presidential and parliamentary elections, including
               by ensuring the full, equal, effective and meaningful participation o f women, and
               inclusion of youth and civil society representatives, in all activities and decision -
               making relating to democratic transition and reconciliation efforts;
                     7.    Emphasises that there can be no military solution in Libya, and calls upon
               all parties to refrain from violence or any other actions that could escalate tensions,
               exacerbate conflicts and undermine the political process or the 23 October 2020
               ceasefire in Libya, which should be implemented in full;
                     8.    Recalls that the measures set out in resolution 1970 (2011), as modified
               by subsequent resolutions, shall apply to individuals and entities determined by the
               United Nations Sanctions Committee to be engaging in or providing support for acts
               that threaten the peace, stability or security of Libya or obstruct or undermine the
               successful completion of its political transition, including by obstructing or
               undermining the elections, and demands full compliance by all Member States with
               the arms embargo imposed under resolution 1970 (2011), as modified by subsequent
               resolutions;
                      9.    Urges all member states to respect fully the sovereignty, independence,
               territorial integrity and national unity of Libya;
                     10. Calls on all parties to implement the 23 October 2020 ceasefire agreement
               in full, including the Action Plan agreed by the 5+5 Joint Military Commission in
               Geneva on 8 October 2021, which is to be implemented in a synchronised, phased,
               gradual and balanced manner, and urges Member States to respect and support its full
               implementation, including through the withdrawal of all foreign forces, foreign
               fighters, and mercenaries from Libya without further delay;
                    11. Requests the Secretary-General to report to the Security Council on the
               implementation of this resolution every 60 days;
                    12.   Decides to remain actively seized of the matter.



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