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Situation in Libya

Resolution adopted by the EPP Political Assembly, 6-7 September 2018, Brussels
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Being aware of complexity of the political landscape in Libya (which has 3 governments and 2 parliaments) and the tribal structures, Underlining the on-going difficult and deteriorating political, economic and security situation in Libya; as well as the difficult living conditions of the Libyan people with frequent water and power cuts, and poor public services, Being aware of the violation of human rights and unacceptable conditions in detention centres for the migrants trying to reach Europe through Libya; Being aware of the instability and huge impact the Libyan crisis is having on the whole region and the EU countries, Keeping in mind that it is urgent for the EU to put the Libyan crisis high on the agenda given the terrible consequences it could have on the region and Europe, and learn from the experiences of the past, Noting,
  • that since 2011, Libya has been torn apart by the country’s rival authorities and its complex tribal system; which created a vacuum on political and security levels and allowed extremist groups such as ISIS/Daesh to settle in Libya;
  • that the political and security situation is undermining the economy of the country;
  • that the level of corruption is higher than prior to the revolution;
  • that the EU signed the UN directive last year which is why the Union’s actions and possibilities remain constrained in this African country;
  • that Libya did not sign the Geneva Convention;
  • that women have been used as targets for harassment, rape and killings committed by militias and soldiers since the beginning of the revolution;
  • that approximately 30% of the Libyan population is under 15 years old;
  1. The EPP underlines the need for a sustainable political strategy to resolve the Libyan situation. There can be no military solution. In this context, the EU should play a greater role as mediator between the different parties and stakeholders by facilitating the meeting under the supervision of the international community and the UN without imposing any solutions.  It is up to the Libyans to decide on their own future.
  2. The EPP calls on the EU to support and to complement the UN-led dialogue in order to have an inclusive political solution in the country which will help stabilize, reconstruct and reconciliate Libya and promote the rule of law. It is only by having one common and coherent international action and approach, together with regional and neighbouring countries but also international community, that all the Libyan actors could be brought around the negotiations table. Having several actors with individual approaches will continue to destabilize the country further.
  3. The EPP calls on the European Union to strongly condemn all the foreign parties involved in the Libyan conflict which jeopardize the peace and reconciliation dialogue within Libya. The EU should further put pressure on those who are violating the UN arms embargo on Libya.
  4. The EPP calls on the EU to continue the embargo on the arms to Libya in order to avoid having further military equipment and weapons circulating on the black market in this country and falling in the hands of militias and terrorist groups.
  5. The EPP calls on the European Union to cooperate especially with the Libyan municipalities on the local level which are closer to its citizens. More presence and more concrete projects with a tangible impact are required, focusing on youth, education and training.
  6. The EPP urges the EU to support Libya in the reconstruction of their oil and gas infrastructures since these two fields are essential to Libya’s economy. This can be done by means of public-private investments. High priority has funding construction and maintenance of power plants and the country’s power grid.
  7. The EPP expresses its concern at the appalling conditions in Libyan detention camps and calls for urgent access for staff of international humanitarian organisations such as UNHCR or IOM to these camps. The EPP calls on the EU to enhance its humanitarian aid in order to meet the needs of Libyan people in the most affected areas and those who have been displaced in order to give them access to some basic needs such as food, water and electricity.
  8. The EPP condemns the abuses and human rights violations against the migrants in the detention camps. The EPP calls on the International Criminal Court to exercise its mandate in order to investigate the human rights abuses and violations in Libya. The perpetrators of crimes need to be brought to the Court for accountability. It is only by bringing justice for all the victims that peace and reconciliation could be brought back to the country.
  9. The EPP recalls on the importance of continuing working on the fight against terrorism and human-trafficking within Libya. Even if ISIS/Daesh loses ground in Libya, the extremism and radicalism continue to be a real threat for the security of the country. The EU should consider developing a Joint military force comprising Libyans and other African military forces in order to effectively combat terrorism, control the border and prevent the smuggling of migrants. In addition to this, educational programmes and social integration of former and current extremists will help counter extremism. Therefore, the EPP calls on the international community to engage further with the youth in Libya to give them better perspectives for their future and avoid them falling into the hands of extremists’ groups.
  10. The EU should continue the training of the Libyan coast guards and helping the Libyan authorities to put in place a comprehensive border control system and strategy.
  11. The EPP calls upon the EU and the international community to launch an awareness and community-based campaign not only in Libya, but also in different African countries to draw the attention to the risks associated with travelling to north Africa and using Libya as a transit country to reach Europe.


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