Communiqué of the Peace and Security Council on the State of Libya

AFRICAN UNION

UNIAO AFRICANA

Addis Ababa, Ethiopia P.O Box 3243 Tel: (251-11)5513 822 Fax: (251-11)5519 321/5514 227

Email: situationroom@africa-union.org

PEACE AND SECURITY COUNCIL 604^th MEETING

ADDIS ABABA, ETHIOPIA

9 JUNE 2016

PSC/PR/COMM. (DCIV)

COMMUNIQUE

Council,

1. Takes note of the briefing made by the Commissioner for Peace and Security, Ambassador Smail Chergui, on the situation in Libya. Council also takes note of the statement made by the representative of the State of Libya;

2. Recalls its earlier communiques and press statements on the situation in Libya, including the press statement PSC/PR/BR/(DLII), adopted at its 552^nd meeting held on 19 October 2015;

3. Reaffirms its commitment to the unity, independence, territorial integrity, and sovereignty of Libya and stresses, once again, that there can be no military solution to the current crisis in Libya;

4. Welcomes the establishment of the Presidency Council of the Government of National Accord (GNA), and calls on the international community to provide it with the necessary technical, security, and counter-terrorism assistance. In this connection, Council urges all concerned Libyan stakeholders to provide support, including that of the House of Representatives (HoR), for the convening of a formal meeting in order to endorse the GNA;

5. Also welcomes the appointment of former President Jakaya Kikwete of Tanzania as the AU High Representative for Libya and expresses its full support for the efforts he undertakes to bring lasting peace and reconciliation in the country. Council commends the High Representative for the consultations he has already undertaken with the Libyan stakeholders, neighboring countries, and international stakeholders, and encourages him to pursue and intensify these efforts;

6. Also commends the initiative announced by the AU Commission, under the leadership of the Chair of the African Union, President Idriss Deby Itno, to convene a meeting of representatives of all Libyan stakeholders to address the issue of national reconciliation. Council recognizes the centrality of this initiative, given the many divisions that still exist within Libya, and expresses its full support for its implementation. In this respect, Council calls on all stakeholders and the United Nations Support Mission in Libya to fully cooperate and support this initiative;

7. Calls upon members of the Presidency Council, the House of Representatives, and other legitimate institutions to work together, and create a unified Libyan army in order to enhance the fight against terrorism in the country;

8. Stresses AU's deep concern at the prevailing humanitarian and security situation in the country and strongly condemns all acts of violence. In this context, Council condemns human traffickers that are sending thousands of African and other migrants on a perilous crossing of the waters of the Mediterranean Sea. In this regard, Council calls for renewed efforts to assist the affected populations, as well as the neighboring countries. Council further calls for the provision of assistance to countries of origin of such migrants, especially, in the socio-economic sector, as part of a long-term solution;

9. Expresses appreciation for the efforts being made by Libya's neighbors to help the country address the many challenges facing it and to facilitate the promotion of lasting peace, security, stability and reconciliation in the country. Council welcomes the outcomes of the various ministerial meetings of Libya's neighbors, the most recent of which took place in Tunis on 22 March 2016, bearing in mind that the region is shouldering the burden of the crisis, and that its deep knowledge of the situation gives it a comparative advantage to effectively assist in the emergence of a Libyan consensus on the best way forward;

10. Commends the work of the Special Representative of the United Nations Secretary General, and Head of the United Nations Support Mission in Libya, Mr. Martin Kobler, and the close working relationship he has established with the AU High Representative for Libya and the AU Commission;

11. Rejects any external military interference in the country, which can only exacerbate and further polarize the situation, thereby making it even more difficult to reach a peaceful political solution fully owned by the Libyan stakeholders;

12. Decides to remain actively seized of the matter.