Joint statement on Libya

Joint Statement on Libya by the Governments of France, Germany, Italy, Spain, the United Kingdom, and the United States:

One year after the signing of the Libyan Political Agreement (LPA) in Skhirat, Morocco, the Governments of France, Germany, Italy, Spain, the United Kingdom, and the United States commend the Presidency Council (PC) of the Government of National Accord (GNA) for its efforts to restore unified governance, prosperity, and security to Libya. We congratulate the GNA and the Libyan people on their successful operation to eject Da’esh from Sirte and applaud the Libyan people’s courage in confronting the scourge of Da’esh and other terrorist organizations.

The PC of the GNA has our full support as it addresses ongoing security and economic challenges for the Libyan people. We reaffirm our support for the LPA as a transitional roadmap to a democratically elected government in Libya, recalling UN Security Council Resolution (UNSCR) 2259, which endorses the Rome Communiqué of 13 December 2015 and calls on members to support the GNA as the sole legitimate government of Libya and reject official contact with parallel institutions outside the LPA. We commend UNSMIL’s efforts and take note of ongoing regional activities towards a broadly based and inclusive implementation of the LPA.

We condemn any threats of use of military force in Libya, including in Tripoli. We call on all parties to resolve their differences through dialogue and national reconciliation.

We encourage the PC of the GNA to strengthen its internal cohesion and tackle with renewed determination the multiple security, economic, and social emergencies facing Libya today, first among them building a secure environment where all citizens can feel safe and protected by unified Libyan forces operating under civilian oversight, including the Presidential Guard, devoted to serving and protecting Libyan institutions. We encourage the PC to step up preparations for its establishment and speedy deployment.

We welcome the approval by the PC of the budget for 2017, and urge Libya’s State financial institutions to ensure their full cooperation with the PC, by enabling the country’s legitimate executive authority to carry out an effective economic policy addressing the most urgent needs of Libya’s population.

We call on all Libyan parties to engage meaningfully in continued political dialogue and support the PC as it charts a peaceful transition to national reconciliation and an elected and unified government that represents all Libyans.

Through maintaining a unified approach in support of these principles, the international community will work to help Libya through this transitional period. But in the end, Libyans alone must decide their country’s future.