Special Political and Decolonization Committee
Libya
People’s Republic of China
Kyle Korte
Forest Hills Eastern
50,605 refugees and asylum seekers. 268,629 internally displaced persons. 3 competing power centers. The civil war in Libya has been a bloody five year conflict with no end in sight. Since Muammar al-Gaddafi’s death in 2011, Libya has struggled to state-build. A promising government, the General National Congress (GNC) was put in power in July 2012 but faced challenges from Islamist militants and other armed groups. The rival government vying for power, the Libyan National Army (LNA) launched a campaign in 2014 against these militant groups; however, the militant groups formed a coalition, marking the start of the civil war. These three factions continue to compete with each other, especially over the oil fields, despite many attempts to intervene from other states and intergovernmental organizations. The unstable conditions in Libya have made it incredibly susceptible to human rights violations.
China has long respected Libya’s sovereignty and advocates a multilateral political solution to their civil war. The international community has witnessed in the past the instability brought about by military intervention and other non-political means, such as no-fly zones. In the past, China has refused to support any type of military intervention in Libya and has remained mostly neutral on the topic. The international community should respect the sovereignty of Libya and facilitate a political solution multilaterally. Countries with influence in Libya should wield that influence wisely and support push for resolution between the competing factions to facilitate a ceasefire and return to political dialogue The active role of intergovernmental organizations is vital to any solution proposed for Libya. The United Nations, African Union, and any other regional organizations must coordinate and cooperate in order to secure peace and stability in Libya. One key aspect of their role must be ensuring the safety and stability of civilians. Currently, the humanitarian assistance in Libya is lacking and improving this situation is of utmost priority to this committee.
- Kyle Korte
