New York — August 7, 2026

United Nations Security Council Arria-Formula Meeting on “Protecting Education in Sudan: Investing in Peace, Recovery, and Stability”

Unofficial Translation

Libya Statement

Delivered by Mr. Mohamed Ebrahim Abu Snaina, Counsellor, Permanent Mission of the State of Libya to the United Nations

 

 

At the outset, my delegation would like to thank the brotherly Federal Republic of Somalia for convening this important meeting, and the Democratic Republic of the Congo and the Republic of Liberia for co-sponsoring it. We also express our appreciation to the briefers.

By virtue of direct neighborliness and historic fraternal ties, the State of Libya has been following the catastrophic repercussions of the conflict in brotherly Sudan; this dear country, which has long stood as a towering beacon of science and knowledge, and whose professors and teachers have generously contributed to shaping the minds of generations and enriching schools and universities, not only in Sudan, but also in Libya and across the entire region.

Today, we regret to see our brothers and sisters in Sudan enduring the largest displacement crisis in the world, where more than 17 million children face severe disruption to their education, including nearly 8 million children who are now completely out of school. Meanwhile, half of the country’s schools have become unusable, as military attacks and the use of drones against educational facilities continue, and schools are being turned into barracks.

Protecting education and ensuring its continuity in times of conflict goes beyond the limits of emergency humanitarian response; it is the first line of defense for Sudan’s future and for safeguarding the stability of the entire region.

In this regard, my delegation wishes to emphasize three key points:

• First: Despite the exceptional circumstances and compound crises my country is going through, the Libyan Government has taken exceptional decisions to treat Sudanese students fleeing the inferno of war on an equal footing with their Libyan counterparts. Their free enrollment in public schools and universities has been facilitated without the immediate requirement of complex documentation, and thousands of children and young people have been enabled to sit for national examinations and obtain accredited certificates, ensuring the continuity of their education and safeguarding their future.
• Second: My delegation stresses the need for the international community and donors to provide adequate and sustainable funding to support infrastructure and basic services, such as education, health, and water, inside Sudan and in the neighboring host countries, which bear enormous logistical and financial burdens that exceed their absorptive capacity.
• Third: We call for an immediate halt to attacks against schools and civilian objects. We also affirm that protecting children requires a decisive international position that puts an end to destructive foreign interference and stops the illicit flows of weapons that fuel the conflict and exacerbate atrocities in Darfur, Kordofan, and throughout Sudanese territory.

In conclusion, Libya affirms that protecting the children of Sudan and safeguarding their right to education cannot be postponed. It is rather a moral and political duty that requires an immediate and comprehensive ceasefire, unimpeded access for humanitarian assistance, and enabling children to pursue their education; for saving schools today is the only way to save Sudan’s future tomorrow.

Thank you, Mr. President.