Security Council resolution 2702 (2023) [on extension of the mandate of the UN Support Mission in Libya (UNSMIL) until 31 Oct. 2024]
Symbol: S/RES/2702 (2023)
Date: 2023-10-30
Status: adopted
Agenda: S/78 [219] LIBYA SITUATION
S/78 [220] UN SUPPORT MISSION IN LIBYA
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|LIBYA|RECONCILIATION|HUMANITARIAN ASSISTANCE|ARMS EMBARGO
Votes in favour: 15
Votes against: 0
Abstentions: 0
Voting record:
country: ALBANIA
vote: yes
country: BRAZIL
vote: yes
country: CHINA
vote: yes
country: ECUADOR
vote: yes
country: FRANCE
vote: yes
country: GABON
vote: yes
country: GHANA
vote: yes
country: JAPAN
vote: yes
country: MALTA
vote: yes
country: MOZAMBIQUE
vote: yes
country: RUSSIAN FEDERATION
vote: yes
country: SWITZERLAND
vote: yes
country: UNITED ARAB EMIRATES
vote: yes
country: UNITED KINGDOM
vote: yes
country: UNITED STATES
vote: yes

               United Nations                                                                   S/RES/2702 (2023)
               Security Council                                                 Distr.: General
                                                                                30 October 2023




               Resolution 2702 (2023)
               Adopted by the Security Council at its 9458th meeting, on
               30 October 2023

                    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), 2619
               (2022), 2629 (2022), 2647 (2022), and 2656 (2022), its Presidential Statement of
               16 March (S/PRST/2023/2), and its press statements,
                     Reaffirming its strong commitment to an inclusive Libyan-led and Libyanowned political process, facilitated by the United Nations, and supported by the
               international community, which builds on the upd ated electoral laws agreed by the
               6+6 Committee, and which will enable the holding of free, fair, transparent and
               inclusive national presidential and parliamentary elections across Libya as soon as
               possible,
                    Takes note of Presidential Election Law No. 28/2023 and Parliamentary Election
               Law no. 27/2023 adopted by the House of Representatives (HoR) of Libya on
               5 October 2023, and further notes that implementation of these laws requires the
               commitment of all parties and a political settlement on outstanding politically
               contentious issues related to elections,
                     Recalling 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, calling upon all stakeholders to uphold these guarantees, and
               further calling upon all stakeholders to redouble their efforts to resolve outstanding
               politically contentious issues related to elections, through United Nations -facilitated
               dialogue, and in a spirit of compromise, in order to create the conditions and
               circumstances for elections, including a secure environment, deliver elections on the
               basis of viable electoral laws, and end the transition period,
                     Expressing concern about the security situation in Libya, particularly the violent
               clashes between armed groups in the Tripoli region on 14 August 2023 and in
               Benghazi in early October, resulting in civilian casualties and destruction of civilian
               infrastructure, underscoring the importance of early conflict prevention efforts,
               calling on all parties to make progress on the political and security tracks, and to
               comply with their obligations under international law, in particular international
               human rights law and international humanitarian law, to establish peace an d stability
               across Libya, urging all actors to refrain from using incendiary rhetoric, hate speech,




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               misinformation and disinformation which could fuel further divisions among Libyans
               and undermine the political process,
                     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, as well
               as the impact of conflict in neighbouring countries on Libya, including with regards
               to threats arising from terrorism, especially in the Sahel, 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 and other countries in the region, which undermines
               stability, and calling on key Libyan 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,
                    Welcoming the commitments of the 5+5 Joint Military Commission and the two
               Chiefs of Staff towards reunification of the Libyan military and security institutions
               and the creation of joint military units to secure Libya’s borders and uphold the
               23 October 2020 ceasefire agreement, and encouraging further efforts in this regard,
                     Urging Libyan institutions and authorities to ensure the full, equal, effective,
               meaningful and safe participation of women at all levels, including in leadership
               positions, and in all stages of activities and decision-making relating to inclusive
               political processes, democratic transition, reconciliation efforts, conflict resolution
               and peacebuilding, recognising the need to protect women, women’s rights
               organisations, and women peacebuilders from intimidation, threats reprisals and
               attacks, strongly encouraging 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 and
               fundamental freedoms, including freedom of expression, peaceful assembly and
               association, in accordance with obligations under international law, to help enable
               free, fair, transparent and inclusive elections and national reconciliation, supporting
               the efforts of UNSMIL to facilitate wider engagement and participation of women


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           from across the spectrum of Libyan society in the political process and public
           institutions, including meaningful representation of women in Libya’s legislative
           bodies, and 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 to ensure oil and gas revenues are managed in a
           transparent, equitable and accountable manner with effective Libyan oversight,
                 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, recognising, in this regard, the
           efforts of the High Financial Committee on revenue management, taking note of the
           announcement to further the unification of the Central Bank o f Libya, 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, and calling upon all relevant Member States to protect frozen
           assets for the future benefit of the Libyan people, including by preventing misuse and
           misappropriation of frozen assets,
                  Expressing concern at the inadequate living standards and insufficient provision
           of basic services and the situation of internally displaced persons (IDPs) in Libya,
           including the inability of IDPs to safely 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 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

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               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,
                    Recognising that protracted conflict and political division in Libya has made the
               country more susceptible to the humanitarian impact of natural disasters, including
               floods, and other weather events associated with the adverse effects of climate
               change, among other factors,
                     Underlining the importance of 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 human itarian,
               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 2024 the mandate of the United Nations
               Support Mission in Libya (UNSMIL), as an integrated special political mission to
               carry out its mandate, as set out in resolution 2542 (2020) and paragraph 16 of
               resolution 2570 (2021);
                     2.   Reiterates its support for the Special Representative of the Secretary-General (SRSG) for Libya and Head of UNSMIL, Abdoulaye Bathily, in particular
               his mediation and good-offices role to further an inclusive political process, in line
               with relevant Security Council resolutions, building on the basis of the Libyan
               Political Agreement and the Libyan Political Dialogue Forum (LPDF) Roadmap, and
               building on the updated electoral laws agreed by the 6+6 Committee, and calling upon
               the international community to fully support SRSG Bathily and UNSMIL in the
               implementation of their 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, in particular in order to facilitate an effective,
               sustainable political process and with a focus on expandi ng the Mission’s footprint
               and operations in eastern Libya, 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 LPDF Roadmap, regrets that a number of its deliverables have
               yet to be achieved and its timelines were not met, underlines that the 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, and recognises the desire of the Libyan people
               to have their say in who governs them through elections;
                     5.   Urges the Libyan political institutions and key stakeholders to resolve
               outstanding politically contentious issues pertaining to elections as soon as possible,
               and in this regard, calls upon Libya political institutions and key stakeholders to
               engage fully, transparently and in good faith with SRSG Bathily in a Libyan -led and
               Libyan-owned, UNSMIL facilitated negotiation in order to deliver free, fair,

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           transparent and inclusive national presidential and parlia mentary elections as soon as
           possible across the country, on the basis of viable electoral laws, aiming at, inter alia,
           forming a unified Libyan government able to govern across the country and
           representing the whole people of Libya;
                 6.   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, as well as local elections across
           Libya;
                 7.    Underlines the importance of an inclusive, comprehensive national
           dialogue and victim-centred 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, welcomes in this regard the convening in Brazzaville on 20 July of the
           Preparatory Committee for national reconciliation, 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 meaningful and safe participation of women, and inclusion of youth
           and civil society representatives, in all activities and decision -making relating to
           democratic transition and reconciliation efforts;
                 8.    Expresses concern at the humanitarian situation in Libya, in particular
           following the catastrophic flooding in eastern Libya, expresses sincere condolences
           to the families of those who lost their lives and to those affected, commends the
           solidarity demonstrated by the Libyan people in response to the floods, calls on
           international partners to provide humanitarian assistance, in coordination with the
           Libyan authorities and the United Nations, calls on the Libyan authorities and
           relevant stakeholders to allow and facilitate full, safe and unhindered humanitarian
           access to those in need, and underscores the need for a coordinated national platform,
           supported by UNSMIL, to release funds for the long term reconstruct ion efforts, and
           for the reconstruction to be managed and distributed transparently, with effective
           oversight and accountability to the Libyan people;
                 9.   Emphasises that there can be no military solution in Libya, calls upon all
           parties to refrain from violence or any other actions that could escalate tensions,
           exacerbate conflicts, endanger civilians and undermine the political process or the
           23 October 2020 ceasefire in Libya, which should be implemented in full, recalls the
           recent violent clashes in Tripoli in August 2023 and in Benghazi in early October, and
           requests UNSMIL, in line with its existing mandate and resources, facilitate
           confidence building measures, dialogue and reconciliation between armed actors to
           prevent violence and conflict escalation through UNSMIL’s mediation and good
           offices;
                 10. 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;



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                      11. Urges all Member States to respect fully the sovereignty, independence,
               territorial integrity and national unity of Libya;
                     12. 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;
                    13. Requests the Secretary-General to report to the Security Council on the
               implementation of this resolution every 60 days;
                    14.   Decides to remain actively seized of the matter.




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