Special Political and Decolonization Committee
Libya
Cambodia
Braxton Orban
After Libyan leader Muammar Gaddafi’s capture and death in 2011, civil war and political turmoil has ravaged the North African country. Two factions, the secularist House of Representatives (HoR) led by Khalifa Haftar and supported by the Libyan national army, and the Government of National Accord (GNA) provisional government which has received international recognition. This fighting threatens the safety and security of the Libyan people; according to the UNHCR, 1.3 million Libyans need humanitarian assistance. Also, the Libyan port city of Tripoli is a key location for other refugees and asylum seekers from the Middle East and Africa attempting to reach Europe. In order to resolve the current conflict in Libya, the Special Political and Decolonization Committee must devise a solution with a united government pleasing both secularist and Islamist groups and a manageable resolution to the present refugee crisis.
Although Cambodia is separated geographically, economically, and politically from Libya, Cambodia’s current government’s humanist and Buddhist ideologies show that Cambodia is in favor of a policy of peace and stability in Libya. After the Cambodian Civil War and Vietnam War demolished Cambodia’s economy and wellbeing, promises of peace and hope have revived the country to a middle-income Southeast Asian nation. Cambodia hopes that, through the diplomatic resolution of current tensions, Libya can have a similar comeback. Although Cambodia does not have a set position of the rightful faction to rule Libya, it hopes that the sides can see past their differences and find a fair and civil resolution.
If the United Nations’ goal is to create a better, safer, more peaceful world, then immediate action must be taken to ameliorate the situation in Libya. In 2015, the UN administered a ceasefire for all parties involved in the civil war, but it has not been effective. Currently, the people of Libya and the thousands of refugees travelling through it are at risk for violence and peril due to the war. Cambodia prioritizes immediate security of the Libyan people over a political solution. Immediate action must be taken to end this urgent situation.
- Braxton Orban
