The arms embargo imposed on Libya since 2011
"is totally ineffective"
, say UN experts in a report of more than 550 pages published Tuesday March 16, whose sentence is final.
"The violations committed by the Member States
(of the United Nations)
which directly support the parties to the conflict are generalized and flagrant, testifying to a total contempt for the measures of sanctions"
, still denounces the group of six specialists, charged to control this embargo.
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Photos, diagrams and maps in support, over a period extending from October 2019 to January 2021, they explain that the control by these Member States of
"the entire supply chain complicates the detection, the interruption and prohibition of these activities.
These two factors singularly complicate the application of the arms embargo ”
.
The six experts have already denounced violations of the embargo for several years.
More or less explicit support from Marshal Khalifa Haftar, a strong man from eastern Libya, the United Arab Emirates, Jordan, Russia, Syria and Egypt have thus been pinpointed in previous reports from the Ono or are in the one published on Tuesday.
Turkey and Qatar, which for their part support the authorities based in Tripoli, were also appointed by the experts, who also identified Russian mercenaries from the private company Wagner, close to Moscow, Syrian rebels - until
"13,000"
- Chadian or Sudanese groups, acting for the benefit of one or other of the belligerents.
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The final report of the UN experts drives the point home in a striking way by supporting the accusations.
And adds other denunciations, such as the one targeting the American Erik Prince, founder of the sulphurous private security company Blackwater and a staunch supporter of former US President Donald Trump.
As revealed in February by an extract from the report, Erik Prince, who denies, is accused of having sent or wanted to send foreign mercenaries, weapons and even
"armed assault helicopters"
, to Khalifa Haftar while the latter was trying in 2019 to bring down the Libyan government recognized by the UN.
Experts estimate that as many as
“2,000”
mercenaries from the Wagner group have been deployed in the country.
"Despite the ceasefire agreement of October 25, 2020, there is no indication that
(the company)
Wagner has withdrawn from Libya,"
they specify.
Another private Russian company, the Rossiskie System Bezopasnosti Group, is cited for its role in the refurbishment of fighter jets, they add.
And the Turkish company SADAT, which has denied any illegal activity in Libya, is also on the list of those accused.
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For economic sanctions targeting individuals or entities, the conclusion of the UN experts is identical to that of the arms embargo.
"The application of asset freezing and travel ban measures with regard to the persons concerned remains ineffective", assert the experts, who note "a case of non-compliance with the asset freeze identified
" and, in general in Libya, a
“persistent lack of transparency”
on financial transactions.
Their report also states that
"the authorities in the east (of the country) have continued their efforts to illegally export crude oil and import fuel for aircraft
.
"
Refined petroleum products continue to be illegally exported by land, the report also said.
Although the activity is small, it has increased from previous years, especially in western Libya, they say.
In conclusion, the UN experts recommend that the Security Council impose on aircraft identified as having violated the embargo
"flag radiations, landing bans, overflight bans"
.
They also ask him
"to authorize the Member States to inspect, on the high seas off the Libyan coast, vessels bound for or coming from Libya, which they have reasonable grounds to believe are exporting or attempting to" illegally export crude oil or refined petroleum products ”
.