United Nations: The UN Security Council on Friday allowed releasing of USD 1.5 billion in frozen Libyan assets, held by the US, to assist in delivering humanitarian aid and other basic services to people in the war-torn country.
The decision to allow releasing of funds came after the US and South Africa reached a deal, which prevented the Security Council from having to vote on a draft resolution that the US had submitted on the issue on Thursday.
The US has been seeking release of the funds aimed at helping Libya’s rebel National Transitional Council (NTC) in delivering emergency and health services in the country. However, South Africa has blocked such request at the UN sanctions committee on Libya saying sanctions imposed on Libya should not be eased until the African Union recognises NTC as the Libyan government. South Africa has insisted that releasing money to the NTC would imply recognition of the rebel council as an entity. Neither South Africa nor the African Union has yet recognised the Libyan opposition administration.
The USD 1.5 billion is part of the about USD 30 billion in Libyan assets that are held in the US. The funds, most of which are in the form of property, investments and other fixed assets, will be sent in three tranches of USD 500 million each. The first installment will go to international humanitarian groups, including USD 120 million to reimburse UN agencies such as the World Food Programme and the UN High Commissioner for Refugees already in Libya. The second USD 500 million will pay for salaries and essential services like electricity and desalination and the third tranche will go to an international fund for Libya to pay for fuel and other emergency services. The money would be dispersed on behalf of the rebel council by the United States or international agencies to ensure it goes directly to fulfill humanitarian needs. South Africa had insisted that there should not be any mention of the NTC in the official request by the US for the release of the funds. US Deputy UN Ambassador Rosemary DiCarlo told reporters here that “the council has reached consensus on the package of USD 1.5 billion in assets that we want unfrozen” adding that the United States was “very pleased with the outcome”. “The funds will go to relevant authorities in Libya, and the relevant authorities happen to be the NTC,” DiCarlo said. South African Ambassador Baso Sangqu said “The question of recognition, of any tacit recognition through this request, has been dropped”. The US had on July 15 recognised the NTC as Libya’s “legitimate governing authority”. (PTI) Meanwhile, members of the Libya Contact Group said after a meeting in Istanbul, Turkey that the reconciliation process in Libya should be based on the “principles of inclusiveness”. In a communique, members of the group – the UN, European Union, NATO, the League of Arab States, Organisation of the Islamic Cooperation, Gulf Cooperation Council – declared that the NTC was, currently, the sole representative of the Libya people. “While expressing satisfaction for the ever-widening international recognition of the NTC, they underlined the need to empower the NTC with the legal, political and financial means necessary to form an interim government of Libya,” members of the group said in their communique. The group also agreed that the UN should lead all international efforts aimed at helping Libya in the post-conflict period. Earlier, the UN Secretary-General’s Special Adviser on post-conflict planning for Libya, Ian Martin, told the group that delivery of humanitarian assistance, especially medical aid, is the most urgent priority, adding that the world body and its partners are finalising a 30-day assistance plan. He pointed out that the UN, the World Bank and European Union have an agreed process for tripartite post-conflict assessment and will be discussing with the NTC when and how that process can best be applied in Libya. PTI YAS WAJ 08261155 NNNN