New York

23 November 2011

Statement attributable to the Spokesperson for the Secretary-General on Libya

The Secretary-General welcomes the announcement of the formation of the new Libyan interim Government, and extends his congratulations to Prime Minister El-Keib and members of his cabinet.

The Secretary-General wishes the new interim Government every success in addressing the numerous challenges facing Libya in this transitional period, including the crucial issues of national reconciliation, public security, human rights protection, and the resumption of basic services to the Libyan people.

The Secretary-General reiterates the commitment of the United Nations to fully support the new Government and the Libyan people in accordance with its mandate under Security Council resolution 2009 (2011). In this regard, the United Nations Support Mission in Libya (UNSMIL), under the leadership of the Secretary-General's Special Representative, Ian Martin, will continue to work closely with the Libyan interim Government and the National Transitional Council (NTC) as they move towards building a modern, peaceful, democratic and prosperous Libya