I will make three points.
First, the UK welcomes the progress made against the Roadmap as well as the Office of the Prosecutor’s clear plan to ensure that it remains on track to complete investigative activities by the end of 2025.
As part of this, the unsealing of six arrest warrants in October is an important milestone. It is both a promising indicator of progress and a key step in providing justice for the victims of alleged war crimes in Tarhunah.
The UK will continue to follow the plans for further arrest warrants applications with interest.
Second, the UK welcomes the enhanced cooperation between the Office and the Libyan authorities. We are pleased to hear of the renewed commitment from Libyan authorities to facilitate the Office’s access in country.
We encourage the Libyan authorities to ensure that key OTP staff are issued with visas, as is anticipated in the report. We share the Office’s concern around the ability of the authorities to progress investigations in Libya given broader security concerns.
It is therefore reassuring to hear that plans to open a liaison office in Libya remain a priority. We encourage continued dialogue between the Office and the Libyan authorities on this.
Third, the UK welcomes the Office’s continued engagement with civil society and victims organisations, both play a critical role in investigations.
Civil Society Organisations, victims, witnesses and affected communities must be able to engage freely with the Office without reprisals. We call on Libyan authorities to uphold the rule of law, and enable their participation.
In conclusion, the UK renews its commitment to working with the Office of the Prosecutor to deliver justice in Libya. We encourage the Libyan authorities, UNSMIL and others to build on the promising progress the Office is making to deliver justice.
We also take this opportunity to reiterate our strong support for the ICC and its independence.
