Co-Chairs’ Statement
Third Meeting of the International Contact Group on Libya
Abu Dhabi, Thursday 9 June 2011
1. After meetings in Doha and Rome, the Contact Group on Libya met for the third time in Abu Dhabi on
9 June co-chaired by the United Arab Emirates and Italy. Representatives of over forty countries and
organizations, including the United Nations, the Arab League, NATO, the European Union, the
Organization of the Islamic Conference, and the Gulf Cooperation Council, discussed the situation in
Libya, developments on the ground, and progress and implementation of decisions since the last
meeting of the Contact Group.* The Contact Group continues to serve as the international point of
contact for interaction with legitimate representatives of the Libyan population and the coordination
of international policy towards Libya. Today it was joined by Bulgaria as a member, and Cyprus,
Egypt, Cyprus, Romania, South Africa and Sudan were represented for the first time as observers,
demonstrating the widening international support for the actions undertaken by the Contact Group.
2. Consensus is growing around the world that the time has come to open a new chapter in Libya’s
history, with a strong commitment to the sovereignty, independence, territorial integrity and national
unity of Libya. This will be based upon the following established elements:
 Qadhafi must go; he has lost all legitimacy and must draw all the consequences by relinquishing
power;
 the use of force against civilians by Qadhafi and his followers and mercenaries must cease
immediately and unconditionally;
 military forces must withdraw from those cities they have forcibly entered, occupied, and placed
under siege, and return to their barracks;
 political transition must be initiated based on the inclusive approach expressed in the
Transitional National Council’s “Road Map on Libya”.
3. The Contact Group reaffirmed its solidarity with the Libyan people and deplored the severe
magnitude of devastation and civilian casualties as a direct result of the Qadhafi regime’s actions.
Participants reiterated their firm intention to further pursue the objectives set by UN Security Council
resolutions 1970 and 1973 in order to protect civilians, and to facilitate the start of an inclusive
national dialogue in Libya that will lead to reconciliation and reconstruction. Participants appreciated
the effective role played by the NATO-led Operation Unified Protector in protecting the civilian
population from Qadhafi’s attacks and to achieve the goals of UN Security Council resolutions 1970
and 1973. In this respect, participants welcomed the decision to extend the NATO-operation by 90
days and the increased national contributions to the operation, particularly those by the United
Kingdom and France. In this regard, participants encouraged further contributions to NATO’s efforts.
*

See Appendix for full list of attendees.

1

4. The Group took note of the report of the international Commission of Inquiry that was recently
submitted to the UN Human Rights Council for discussion.† The report’s conclusion that a significant
number of international human rights violations have occurred as well as war crimes reinforces the
legitimacy of the international action against the Qadhafi regime. In this respect, the Contact Group
welcomed the decision by the Prosecutor of the International Criminal Court to formally request an
arrest warrant for Qadhafi. The Contact Group strongly condemns all violations of international
humanitarian and criminal law and deplores all crimes against humanity and war crimes.
5. The Contact Group agreed on the necessity to reinforce international pressure in order to accelerate
a political solution to the crisis, and confirmed its determination to use any legitimate means to put
an end to the violence in Libya. The ongoing political, economic and military pressure is having a
strong impact on the solidity of the Qadhafi’s hold on power. Recent defections of prominent
members of the regime are evidence that the current system is disintegrating, and that Qadhafi has
lost the trust of his senior military officers. The Contact Group reiterated that all those individuals
complicit in the regime’s crimes will be held to account, including all those with ICC indictments or
directly involved in ordering attacks on civilians. It called on Qadhafi’s followers who do not want to
be associated with human rights violations to disassociate themselves from the regime. Militarily,
regime forces have suffered several defeats and have lost control of territory, and NATO has
intensified airstrikes on the regime’s command and control sites in and around Tripoli.
International progress in implementing UNSCRs 1970 and 1973 (2011)
6. The Abu Dhabi meeting reaffirmed the principles of the meeting in Doha, which called for the
departure of Qadhafi, and of the meeting in Rome, which established the mechanism for financial
support to the Libyan people. The Contact Group welcomed the statement of the G8 regarding the
situation in Libya and subsequent positive actions and statements by a further number of states
calling into question the legitimacy of the Qadhafi-regime. The Group issued a strong call upon states
to follow suit and publicly condemn Qadhafi and the actions of his regime, in line with UN Security
Council resolutions 1970 and 1973.
7. Central to the work of the Contact Group is the drive to isolate Qadhafi and his regime and separate
it from assets, services, and goods that support its repression of the Libyan people. The Contact
Group therefore welcomed the further implementation of restrictive measures against the Qadhafi
regime, including the EU’s decision to designate six ports in Western Libya which will assist in
preventing the regime from acquiring resources that fuel its military campaign. Participants urged all
states to mirror these measures and to implement in full existing sanctions to maximise pressure on
Qadhafi and his followers. The Contact Group welcomed actions by states aimed at more
†

Report of the International Commission of Inquiry to investigate all alleged violations of international human rights law in the
Libyan Arab Jamahiriya (A/HRC/17/44)

2

comprehensively freezing assets of individuals and entities connected to the regime and recent
actions by satellite operators throughout the Arab world to take off air official Libyan media. It called
on all satellite operators to take the same action in order to remove Qadhafi’s poisonous propaganda
which contrasts with the free and open channels that are springing up in TNC-controlled Libya.
8. Participants agreed to undertake further actions in coordination with other international partners to
widen the scope and objectives of restrictions imposed on the regime with particular reference to
the imports of refined products for non-humanitarian use. The meeting strongly urged all countries
to cease support to Qadhafi and put an end to actions that prolong the current suffering of the
Libyan population at the hand of his regime.
Progress in an inclusive political process
9. The future of Libya should be determined by the Libyan people. The Contact Group therefore
welcomed the presentation by the TNC of the ‘Road Map for Libya’ as its blueprint for a transition
toward a post-Qadhafi political system, based on the principles of inclusion and representation. The
Group agreed that the TNC had taken important steps to improve its organization and accountability.
The sense of freedom in Benghazi – witnessed by a number of members of the Contact Group –
demonstrates the steps the TNC has taken to put its vision into practice. The Group also appreciated
the TNC’s efforts to enhance its inclusiveness and to incorporate all components of the Libyan civil
society.
10. The Contact Group confirmed the lead role of the United Nations in facilitating dialogue and
supporting an inclusive political process through the good offices of the UN Secretary General
through his Special Envoy for Libya. It called on all actors to work with and through the UN Special
Envoy to find a solution to the crisis based on the legitimate demands of the Libyan people. The
Contact Group received presentations by the UN Secretary General’s Special Envoy Abdelilah
AlKhatib on the political process in Libya, and by the TNC on its Road Map for political transition in
the country.
11. The Group appreciated the EU’s decision to open an office in Benghazi and the opening of
humanitarian offices there by UN agencies and the OIC. These offices, in addition to the growing
number of envoys visiting Benghazi, including from Russia and China as well as visits by the Foreign
Ministers of Poland, Italy, the UK, and Spain and the EU High Representative for Foreign Affairs and
Security Policy, demonstrate the TNC’s growing legitimacy and will give the international community
the opportunity to deepen the cooperation with the TNC and enable more coordinated assistance for
humanitarian relief, capacity building, and administration.

3

12. The Contact Group welcomed the further focus on international assistance to the TNC in terms of
stabilization, institution-building and capacity-building programs. In parallel to the Contact Group
meeting, participants reviewed progress in the coordination of international efforts to create the
basis for successful reconstruction in Libya after the end of the conflict. The Contact Group looks
forward to the results of the international joint stabilization mission in Benghazi and welcomed all
contributions to the international planning led by the United Nations.
Support for the Libyan people
13. The United Nations updated the Contact Group on the latest developments regarding the overall
humanitarian situation. The meeting repeated its concern for the consequences of the crisis for
neighboring countries, as a result of refugee flows and the significant presence of third country
nationals in Libya. Participants reaffirmed the need to ensure humanitarian access throughout Libya
and encouraged states to lend humanitarian support in relief of the Libyan population. Participants
recognized the efforts of the neighboring countries of Libya, in particularly Egypt and Tunisia, in
assisting thousands of civilians fleeing the violence in Libya, and stress the need to continue
providing these countries with adequate assistance. They also expressed appreciation for the active
role by the humanitarian agencies.
14. In the immediate term, the TNC requires international support to meet essential expenditure
required for sustaining public services and maintaining basic living conditions among the population.
After the initial decision in Doha, and the adoption in Rome of its terms of reference, the meeting in
Abu Dhabi fully established the Temporary Financial Mechanism, a crucial instrument to respond to
this necessity. The meeting welcomed substantial financial contributions by several countries
including Bahrain, Italy, Kuwait, Qatar, Spain, Turkey and the United States. The Contact Group
repeated its strong call on the international community to support the TNC through the Temporary
Financial Mechanism. In this respect, participants commended the result of the meeting of Contact
Group members on the TFM in Abu Dhabi that succeeded in amending the Terms of Reference of the
mechanism, which is now operational and ready to receive pledges from states. Participants
furthermore agreed that one way to address the humanitarian needs of the population of Libya
would be to find a mechanism that will allow the unfreezing of Libyan assets, or to use them as
security for financing TNC obligations, consistent with the provisions of the relevant UN Security
Council resolutions, including in those areas under the control of the TNC. To put financing on a more
sustainable footing, participants stressed the importance of international support to help the TNC
restart the production and export of crude oil. The Group encourages states to look at how assets
that belong to the Libyan people can be best used to help the Libyan people within the context of
applicable laws and in the spirit of UN Security Council resolutions 1970 and 1973. In this respect,
participants welcomed the letter signed by all members of TNC conveying the message that it will
honour all financial obligations incurred toward loaning countries, and committed that in case of
non-repayment the value of these loans may be recuperated from the frozen assets held in loaning4

countries. The TNC further committed that all future Libyan governments would honour the financial
obligations undertaken by the TNC.
15. Participants welcomed the Italian-TNC Joint Declaration signed on May 31, which will establish a
formal base to provide to the TNC assistance in terms of supplying of refined oil and international
loans. The Contact Group encouraged participants to explore national ways and means to provide
substantial financial aid to the TNC, including through mechanisms enabling entities controlled by the
TNC to export hydrocarbons and to provide guarantees, thus complementing multilateral
mechanisms established to cope with the most urgent needs of the population.
16. Participants welcomed the activation of the Libyan Information Exchange Mechanism, under
coordination of Italy, which aims to match requests for assistance by the TNC with offers by donor
countries, as well as to better divide labor among donors. The Contact Group invited donors to
channel to the designated focal points all information regarding in-kind assistance to the TNC.
Continued regional engagement
17. The Contact Group expressed appreciation for ongoing engagement of Arab countries in support of
international efforts regarding Libya. The Group noted that the Arab world has been at the forefront
of initial action by the international community against the Qadhafi-regime, notably following the
statements by the Arab League and the Gulf Cooperation Council. The Contact Group welcomed the
participation of the Arab states as indication of regional commitment to and ownership of a solution
to the current situation in Libya.
18. Participants welcomed the efforts of the United Nations, the African Union, the Arab League, the
European Union, and the Organization of the Islamic Conference to reinforce their coordination.
Participants acknowledged the efforts made by the African Union and its ad hoc Committee in order
to contribute actively to a political solution of the Libyan crisis, and particularly noted the efforts of
President Zuma, as well as the recent statement by President Abdel Aziz, which underscore the
reality that Qadhafi can no longer lead. The Contact Group also noted that it looks forward to
working with the African Union and the African states to reinforce the message to Qadhafi and his
inner circle that it is time for him to go.
Next meeting of the Contact Group
19. The participants of the Contact Group expressed their thanks and appreciation to His Highness
Sheikh Abdullah bin Zayed Al Nahyan, Foreign Minister of the United Arab Emirates, for organizing
and hosting this meeting. It was agreed to hold the fourth meeting of the Contact Group in Turkey at
a date to be determined in the near future.

5