Committee: Special Political and Decolonization Committee (SPECPOL)
Topic: Libya
Country: Equatorial Guinea
Delegate Name: Emily Kinnicutt
School: Saginaw Arts and Sciences Academy (SASA)
The situation in Libya is truly one of chaos, corruption, and terrorism; a tale that has proven to be present in the regions of Africa in the past. The ongoing conflict in Tripoli has led to an increasingly negative effect on the citizens and neighboring nations of Libya. Not only has it led to 395 civilian casualties since the most recent offensive on Tripoli launched by Haftar in April, but also 106 fatalities. Approximately 120,000 people have been displaced from their homes, and many were forced to flee to other nations. Currently, the Government of National Accord (GNA) and the House of Representatives (HoR) both are in the process of detaining migrants, with approximately 5,000 detained under inhumane conditions. There has also been proof of international law violations and crimes from all parties, with residential areas, such as Abu Salim, Ghrarat, Suq al-Jum’ah and Hadbah, where civilians live, being constantly targeted with airstrikes, healthcare facilities being targeted (19 ambulances and 4 facilities struck), and water supplies in the Tripoli and Misratah regions being attacked. Radical Islamists, as a part of the group ISIL, have a strong hold on Libya, with approximately 500 to 700 fighters (UN Secretary General Report, August 30, 2019). ISIL has claimed responsibility for a total of four attacks in Libya since April, and have continued to kill and kidnap civilians as the government have turned their armies against each other. Unconfirmed reports of mercenaries and foreign fighters in the region have also surfaced (UN Special Representative to Libya, Ghassan Salamé, May 2019). It is clear that this conflict has much complexity, and, if care is not taken, could potentially result in a drawn out, bloody war.
The Republic of Equatorial Guinea has had an active role in assisting to resolve this conflict. Not only have we ensured that the issue in Libya is brought up in Security Council and have been fighting for stability primarily is West and North Africa, but we have also hosted meetings of the African Union in which the parties of the Libya crisis were convened to attempt to negotiate the situation. Equatorial Guinea condemns the violence in Libya, citing the aggression launched against Tripoli by Haftar. Our president, Teodoro Obiang, has stated that the fight against terrorism is not by attacking the rightful government and that “… There is no military solution to the Libyan crisis… “, so there is a need to return to a peaceful and political path. Equatorial Guinea would also like to stress the importance of maintaining the African Union (AU) as a central figure in conjunction with the UN in resolving the situation in Libya, as the African-led discussions have proven to yield positive results. There have also been clear violations of the UN arms embargo over Libya, and Equatorial Guinea and the African Union would like to stress that external interference in the conflict that do not follow the AU’s plan to promote dialogue and national reconciliation, especially for selfish causes, as they will only divide Libyan stakeholders further. Equatorial Guinea would like to acknowledge and commend the (UNSMIL) role in expediting reconciliation in Libya along with a plethora of national and international NGOs, as they have played a necessary role in assessing and assisting the situation.
Equatorial Guinea would like to promote, through this resolution, the security and increase in humanitarian and societal assistance. Humanitarian actors have developed the Tripoli Flash Appeal and the Libya Humanitarian Response Plan for 2019, but both initiatives have fallen completely short on funding, so it is recommended that nations that would like to assist donate to initiatives like these rather than focusing on exerting military power. Equatorial Guinea also would like to emphasize the importance of respecting the UN arms embargo in place. Also, we would like to stress the importance of ensuring that the International Organization for Migration (IOM), UNFPA, the United Nations Children’s Fund (UNICEF) and the World Food Programme’s (WFP) assistance and entrance into Libya be encouraged by member nations. It is also important to bring together all the stakeholders of Libya before engaging in further conflict to promote political reconciliation. First, a truce should be developed between the parties, much like the truce during Eid al-Adha. Then, the international parties involved in this conflict (nearby and influential) should convene to prevent any further interference. Finally, after the development of a plan by external mediators, the Libyan stakeholders should meet and hopefully come to an agreement. Equatorial Guinea is excited to work with other member nations see that we can come to a consensus on this issue.
- Emily Kinnicutt
