The InterDependent

The United Nations is poised to play a “strong role” in the post-conflict stage in Libya as the Libyan rebels’ government has expressed its desire to have the world body take part in the country’s rebuilding, B. Lynn Pascoe, under secretary-general for political affairs at the UN, told the media recently.

“We’ve been working on this issue for a long time,” Pascoe said on Aug. 25 at UN headquarters in New York, to find ways for the UN to help the new government, the National Transitional Council, establish itself. “Any process will be led by Libya.”

Pascoe elaborated on how the UN could shore up Libya, starting with establishing a government and developing accountable institutions; addressing reconciliation issues; organizing elections (very high on the agenda); and managing security matters like disarmament.

The rebels declared their historic takeover of Libya in a six-month fight against Col. Muammar el-Qaddafi, the Libyan leader for 42 years, more than a week ago. Since then, UN advisers and Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon have been quickly meeting with members of the Transitional Council as well as regional groups to discuss plans to stabilize Libya.

In addition, the Security Council voted last week to release $1.5 billion in Libyan assets to “relevant authorities” in the country to cope with urgent humanitarian needs, which include shortages of water, medicine and food. The UN has been providing assistance to Libyan refugees in Tunisia since the war began; and the World Health Organization announced that with Libyan assets unfrozen by the Dutch government, the agency will buy medical supplies for the country. At least 630,000 people have left Libya since the revolt started in February, according to UN estimates in July.

Mark Garten/UN Photo

Abdel Elah Al-Khatib, right, Secretary-General Ban's special envoy for Libya, speaks with B. Lynn Pascoe, under secretary-general for political affairs, after their meeting in August with heads of major regional organizations, including the African Union, the League of Arab States, the Organisation of Islamic Cooperation and European Union to discuss Libya.

Ban also spoke to the media at the UN last week, describing how his office plans to assist the new Libyan leaders and how regional leaders he met by videoconference – the African Union, European Union, League of Arab States and the Organization of Islamic Conference – will be involved.
Everyone at the meeting, Ban reiterated, agreed that the UN “will play an essential coordinating role” in restoring order and stability. That could include a “police capacity” to deal with the arms that are awash in Libya.

Ban was accompanied at the press conference by his special envoy to Libya, Abdel Elah Al-Khatib, a former Jordanian foreign minister, and Ian Martin, a former British diplomat who is the UN’s special envoy in charge of post-conflict Libya. Al-Khatib has been working for months to try to broker a cease-fire in Libya. Martin will take a dominant role in the transition phase, Ban said. Both envoys have recently met with the regional groups and National Transitional Council leaders in the Middle East.

Responding to questions about monitoring the use of the $1.5 billion in assets, Ban said that the money will be distributed to UN humanitarian agencies in a “transparent, accountable manner.” The release of the funds included a restriction that none would be used for military equipment or activities. Additional money, Ban added, would be discussed this week at a meeting in Paris with dozens of countries, organized by President Nicolas Sarkozy of France, and at the General Assembly annual debate in September.

So far, there are no plans to send UN peacekeepers to Libya, though a police role may be necessary to monitor the arms situation. Any role that the UN takes must be mandated by the Security Council. Early contingency plans if a cease-fire had been arranged in Libya had included a UN Department of Peacekeeping Operation observation mission of 50 to 200 military personnel, said a department spokesman.

Although fighting continues in Libya and the whereabouts of Qaddafi are still unknown, Ban reiterated that the International Criminal Court has an indictment against the Libyan leader, his son Seif al-Islam and a former intelligence chief, some of his sons for crimes against humanity. Libyan authorities are obligated to cooperate with the court, so that mandate will fall to the National Transitional Council. The Human Rights Council is also investigating abuses in Libya. Qaddafi's wife and other family members escaped to Algeria this week.

Martin, a former British envoy to Nepal who has also had a long career at the UN and was an executive director of Amnesty International, emphasized in July that protecting human rights in the new Libya was vital. Speaking at a Council of Foreign Relations conference, he said that reparations to victims could be part of the human rights agenda and that a justice system would need to be installed.