UNSMIL Mandate Renewal: Explanation of Vote

Thank you Madam President

Kenya has voted to renew the mandate of UNSMIL as a critical support tool for a Libyan-led and owned peace process.

However, we believe that the Mission would have been better enabled through a substantive mandate renewal. That would have been the ideal way of infusing the emerging needs from the peace process into the Mission's support to Libya. That is what we wanted.

Nevertheless, Kenya acknowledges the joint efforts of fellow members of this Council in seeking the best possible support to Libya.

However, by yet another technical rollover, this Council is missing another significant opportunity to strongly back Libya's national dialogue and reconciliation efforts, which are critical to the progress of the peace process.

Madam President, in so doing, we may be sending the people of Libya confusing signals on our commitment.

Therefore, we call on all the members whose divergent positions led to where we are today to exercise flexibility in efforts to bridge the gap remaining to achieving consensus on the outstanding issues that stand in the way of a substantive mandate renewal.

Finally, Madam President, we reaffirm our commitment to the peace process in Libya and we will continue to fully engage with fellow members of the Council and Libya for decisions that effectively respond to a truly Libya-led and owned peace process.

Thank you