The UN Security Council delayed from Tuesday to Wednesday a vote on a draft resolution to renew the mandate of the UN Support Mission in Libya (UNSMIL) for another year, until 15 September 2022.
The UN Security Council Report website said that at least one Council member asked for further time to discuss the text, which created disagreements among some states on withdrawing foreign forces and mercenaries from Libya.
It added that divisions arose during the negotiations on language in the operative section of the UK-drafted text regarding the extension of the UNSMIL mandate for including the withdrawal of foreign fighters and mercenaries.
“In an earlier iteration of the draft, a provision on UNSMIL’s coordination and cooperation with international actors noted that such cooperation would aim to facilitate the departure of all foreign forces and mercenaries from Libya. It seems that China and Russia opposed this reference, which was removed.” It added.
The Security Council report also said that new language was added from resolution 2570 of 16 April, which strongly urges member states to “respect and support the full implementation of the October 2020 ceasefire agreement, including through the withdrawal of all foreign forces and mercenaries from Libya without delay”.
“A preambular paragraph that recognized the “need to plan for the disarmament, demobilization and reintegration of armed groups” was expanded by the penholder to also include “all relevant non-state armed actors, including the return of their members to their countries of origin”. The report said.
