Libya Sanctions: Vote on a Draft Resolution
Tomorrow afternoon (25 November), the Security Council is expected to vote on a draft resolution renewing for six months the authorisation for member states, acting nationally or through regional organisations, to inspect vessels on the high seas off the coast of Libya, bound to or from Libya, that they have reasonable grounds to believe are violating the arms embargo. France and Greece co-authored the draft resolution.
Background
The Security Council first adopted the measures in support of the full implementation of the arms embargo on Libya in resolution 2292 of 14 June 2016. The interception of vessels bound to or from Libya was intended to curb the flow of arms to the country and to support the two-way arms embargo imposed on the country in resolution 1970 of 26 February 2011.
Since 2016 and up until this year, the Council had annually renewed the measures contained in resolution 2292. In a departure from the established practice, the Council last renewed these measures through resolution 2780 of 29 May for a period of six months. This resulted from Libya’s opposition to a one-year renewal, which the co-penholders had initially proposed. (For more information, see our 28 May What’s in Blue story.)
According to the Secretary-General’s latest report on the implementation of the measures, dated 27 October and covering the period between 15 April and 14 October, the European Union (EU) naval force in the Mediterranean (Operation EUNAVFOR Med IRINI) has remained the only regional organisation to inspect vessels under the authorisation. During the reporting period, the operation conducted 2,079 hailings (making contact with other vessels), 52 friendly approaches (consensual visits to vessels that can be carried out without flag state approval and without the use of enforcement measures), and two vessel inspections. The operation did not report the seizure or disposal of any prohibited items.
Until 2022, the Council had unanimously reauthorised the maritime inspection every year. Since then, Russia has consistently abstained on the vote, questioning the effectiveness and viability of the authorisation. It has argued that Operation IRINI has failed to uncover significant arms supply channels and has alleged that the operation conducts its inspections in a selective and non-transparent manner. Additional members have subsequently voiced similar concerns; last year, the Council adopted resolution 2733 of 31 May 2024, which extended the authorisation for one year, by a narrow vote of nine in favour and six abstentions. (For more information, see our 30 May 2024 What’s in Blue story.) The May reauthorisation was adopted with 13 votes in favour and two abstentions (China and Russia).
Negotiations on the Draft Resolution
France and Greece sought another straightforward six-month extension of the maritime inspection authorisation. The co-penholders circulated the initial draft of the text to all Council members on 17 November, placing it under silence procedure two days later. Russia broke silence on the draft to reiterate its concerns about the viability of the authorisation but did not propose any specific revisions to the draft text. It seems that China echoed Russia’s concerns in its comments but did not ask for revisions to the draft text. On 21 November, the co-penholders proceeded to put the unamended draft resolution in blue for a vote tomorrow afternoon. These negotiations appear to have followed a similar pattern to those in May, with China and Russia reiterating concerns but proposing no amendments.
