Country: Sweden
Committee: SPECPOL
School: Williamston High School
Topic: Libya
Delegate: Molly Bowling
The problems in Libya have been continuing since 2011, this proves them to be an ongoing issue that needs to be addressed. Most of the problems stem from unaccountable militia, Some linked to the interior and defense ministries of the United Nations-backed Government of National Accord (GNA), and others linked to the Libyan National Army (LNA) affiliated with the rival Interim Government—continued to clash with each other in various parts of the country, such as efforts to reconcile main parties in the east and west failed. In Libya’s south, Tebu, Tuareg, and Arab armed groups continued to clash for control of territory and resources. Major violence, including frequent attacks on oil installations, disrupted the economy and public services. Around 200,000 people remained internally displaced, as of October. Armed groups, some of them affiliated with the GNA or the Interim Government, carried out extrajudicial executions, attacked civilians and civilian properties, and abducted, tortured, and disappeared people. This is clearly a problem that needs to be dealt with and the delegation of Sweden looks forward to finding a solution.
The Swedish decision to get involved in the Libya crisis was the result of a combination of factors, including feelings of altruism, the legal basis for the operation, the involvement of North Atlantic Treaty Organization in the operation, the political power play in the Swedish parliament and Sweden’s availability of military resources. On 29 March 2011, after weeks of harsh domestic political debate on how Sweden should respond to the international calls for a peace operation in Libya, the Swedish government decided that Sweden should participate in the United Nations (UN) sanctioned no-fly zone over the North African country. The decision also followed a clear pattern of Swedish foreign policy, that is contributing with peacekeeping and peace enforcement troops to UN-mandated missions. Sweden by coincidence had relevant military resources on standby, which could be deployed quickly to Libya. Thus, the Swedish decision making was characterized by an element of chance, but also based on their foreign policy decision making.
Sweden has played a major role in the libya crisis. They have increased humanitarian aid, and taken part in helping the country get back on its feet. Money, which has been dedicated to international efforts to evacuate non-Libyans who have fled to a third country to escape the violence, brings Sweden’s total aid contribution to the war-torn country since March to 60 million kronor. Sweden believes that other countries need to take more action in order to help this war torn country. Sweden, which is not a member of NATO, has also agreed to limited participation in the operations against the regime of Libyan strongman Muammar Qaddafi by helping enforce the no-fly zone over Libya with eight fighter jets, but has said it would not take part in any ground strikes and encourages other nations to do the same. This problem has gone on too long, the delegation of Sweden looks forward to finding a solution.
- Molly Bowling
