Spiegazioni di Voto pronunciate dal Sottosegretario di Stato, On. Vincenzo Amendola, al Dibattito in Consiglio di Sicurezza sulla situazione in Libia —
Italy welcomes the unanimous approval by the Security Council of Resolution 2357 extending the legal framework in place to inspect vessels suspected to violate the arms embargo on the high seas off the coast of Libya.
By speaking with one voice, today the Security Council highlighted once again its strong commitment to the stability and security of Libya and emphasized the importance of working together to protect the country from the threat posed by the combination of terrorism and proliferation of weapons. The fight against Daesh in Libya is a success story. However, it must not stop there. It is necessary to prevent Daesh remnants to regroup and rearm. The provisions of this Resolution are a critical tool in this crucial endeavor.
The Mediterranean Sea, especially off the coasts of Libya, is facing multiple challenges: human trafficking; smuggling of weapons, crude oil and other related products: all these flows benefit from the volatile situation in the country and can increase the intensity, duration and complexity of the Libyan crisis.
The stabilization of Libya is the best way to tackle this problem. Italy – a neighbor of Libya and a country at the very center of the Mediterranean Sea – is pursuing this strategic goal by supporting the Presidency Council and the institutional framework validated by the LPA and helping to broaden its base of support through wide reconciliation.
At the same time, no effort should be spared to enhance security in the Mediterranean Sea. In this respect, the EU Mission Eunavfor MED is proving an important tool for the international community in terms of information-gathering and situation-awareness on one of the most complex and unstable areas of the Mediterranean Sea. It plays a role as a security provider both for the neighboring countries and for Europe.
In addition to its core task Eunavfor Med is playing a significant role in helping the implementation of the arms embargo in Libya that the Security Council itself has set, acting as a deterrent against flows of weapons being transferred by sea.
Let me conclude by thanking the United Kingdom for its leadership in the negotiation of this resolution and all Council Members who engaged constructively in it, including during the helpful interactive dialogue held a few days ago by the Security Council with the with the Commander of Eunavfor Med (Adm. Credendino) and the EEAS (DSG Serrano)
