By Sami Zaptia.
London, 12 February 2021:
The U.S. has extended Libya’s ‘‘national emergency’’ status first declared through a Presidential Executive Order on 25 February 2011, for another year.
In his statement extending the Executive Order, the President Biden explained that ‘‘The situation in Libya continues to pose an unusual and extraordinary threat to the national security and foreign policy of the United States, and measures are needed to protect against the diversion of assets or other abuses by members of Qaddafi’s family, their associates, and other persons hindering Libyan national reconciliation’’.
Recalling the rationale for the Executive Order, the statement explained that ‘‘On February 25, 2011, by Executive Order 13566, the President declared a national emergency pursuant to the International Emergency Economic Powers Act (50 U.S.C. 1701‑1706) to deal with the unusual and extraordinary threat to the national security and foreign policy of the United States constituted by the actions of Colonel Muammar Qaddafi, his government, and close associates, which took extreme measures against the people of Libya, including by using weapons of war, mercenaries, and wanton violence against unarmed civilians.
In addition, there was a serious risk that Libyan state assets would be misappropriated by Qadhafi, members of his government, members of his family, or his close associates if those assets were not protected. The foregoing circumstances, the prolonged attacks, and the increased numbers of Libyans seeking refuge in other countries from the attacks caused a deterioration in the security of Libya and posed a serious risk to its stability’’.
‘‘For this reason’’, Biden’s statement concluded, ‘‘the national emergency declared on February 25, 2011, must continue in effect beyond February 25, 2021. Therefore, in accordance with section 202(d) of the National Emergencies Act (50 U.S.C. 1622(d)), I am continuing for 1 year the national emergency declared in Executive Order 13566’’.
