International reactions to the 2011 military intervention in Libya

The international reactions to the 2011 military intervention in Libya were the responses to the military intervention in Libya by NATO and allied forces to impose a no-fly zone. The intervention was authorized by United Nations Security Council Resolution 1973, approved in New York on 17 March, in response to the Libyan Civil War, though some governments allege participants in the operation exceeded their mandate.

Overall response from governments was generally split between strong opposition and conditional support for the intervention.

Supranational

*African Union – A committee of officials representing five member states — Mali, Mauritania, the Republic of the Congo, South Africa, and Uganda — was denied entry to Libya after the UN Security Council voted to establish a no-fly zone over the country. The ''ad hoc'' panel demanded an immediate end to the attacks on Libya.
* – The Secretary General of the Arab League, Amr Moussa, on 20 March said that the Arab League had wanted "the protection of civilians and not the shelling of more civilians", but on 21 March reiterated his support for the operation, something that is in accordance with what he said on 20 March, concerning the civilian casualties caused by the foreign intervention.
* – The secretary-general of the GCC strongly endorsed the use of international force in Libya on 21 March, lauding coalition forces for "protecting the people from bloodshed". GCC member state Qatar is joining coalition efforts to enforce the no-fly zone.
* Intergovernmental Authority on Development - The Intergovernmental Authority on Development (IGAD) described the military intervention in Libya as an open invitation to terrorists. IGAD said, "Our fear is that what is happening now in Libya may motivate terrorist groups in Somalia, Afghanistan and Iraq to regroup on African soil.".

Governments

Arab World

* – The Movement of Society for Peace, a Muslim Brotherhood-linked pro-government party in Algiers, called upon the coalition to halt military strikes against targets in Libya and urged the Arab League to affirm a "crystal clear and frank position on the side of the Libyan people". At a press conference after meeting with President Abdulaziz Bouteflika, Russian Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov said that Russia and Algeria both oppose the international intervention in Libya on principle. On 21 March, Algerian Foreign Minister Mourad Medelci said his government believes "this intervention to be disproportionate in relation to the objective set out by the United Nations Security Council resolution" and demanded "an immediate cessation of hostilities and foreign intervention."
* – After the UN Security Council voted to establish a Libyan no-fly zone, Egypt declined to join in enforcement, despite having the largest military in the Arab League and voting with that body to endorse the no-fly zone's creation. Foreign Minister Nabil Elaraby said Egypt was choosing to stay out of the conflict due to the large number of Egyptian nationals in Libya. Presidential candidate Amr Moussa, the head of the Arab League, described airstrikes against Gaddafi's military in support of the UN mandate as "bombardment of civilians ... hatled to the deaths and injuries of many Libyan civilians" and said he intended to call an emergency meeting of the Arab League, multiple members of which are now involved in enforcing the no-fly zone, to respond to the situation. Namibian press reported in early April that Egyptian embassy officials in Windhoek had indicated the Egyptian government's support for the resolution provided it led to the protection of civilians and the promotion of democracy.
* – A spokesman for the Iraqi government told Reuters on 21 March that Baghdad backs the military intervention that followed "to protect the Libyan people". Powerful Shia cleric Moqtada al-Sadr, however, criticized both the international action and the Gaddafi regime, saying the government in Tripoli should relinquish power but warning that airstrikes could cause civilian casualties.
* – The government was party to an international summit on 19 March in Paris to weigh military intervention in Libya after the UN Security Council voted to create a no-fly zone over the country, but a government spokesman said Jordan's armed forces would not be involved in enforcing the UN mandate. On 4 April, two Royal Jordanian Air Force fighter jets arrived at a military airbase in the European Union to support the coalition. Foreign Minister Nasser Judeh said they would provide "logistical support" and help escort Jordanian transports making use of the humanitarian corridor to deliver aid and supplies. Judeh also said his government was prepared to "pursue efforts at all levels" to help protect civilians and end the crisis.
* – The government approved of the creation of the no-fly zone. UK Prime Minister David Cameron announced Kuwait would be making a "logistical contribution" to international military efforts in Libya.
* – Lebanon introduced and voted for United Nations Security Council Resolution 1973, claiming to act on behalf of the Arab League.
* – President Mohamed Ould Abdel Aziz condemned international intervention in Libya after France, the United States, and the United Kingdom spearheaded airstrikes against Gaddafi's forces in support of a UN mandate.
* – The government was party to international talks in Paris on 19 March to discuss how to implement the UN mandate in Libya after the UN Security Council voted for a no-fly zone. After meeting with an envoy from Gaddafi's government, Foreign Minister Taieb Fassi Fihri said on 18 April, "Morocco considers that ... the solution can not be military. It can only be political, forward-looking and allowing the Libyan people to democratically determine their future." Fihri also said that his government participated in recent conferences with members of the international coalition and allies, including the Paris summit, to help honor its "commitment to full respect for Libya's territorial integrity and national unity".
* – The government confirmed it was dispatching Qatar Emiri Air Force fighter jets to Libya on 20 March. "Qatar will take part in the military operation out of belief in the need for Arab states to contribute, for the situation has become unbearable in Libya", Emir Hamad bin Khalifa Al Thani said.
* – The government is reportedly allowing coalition airplanes to traverse Sudanese airspace during operations in Libya.
* – The post-revolution government of Tunisia declined to join international military operations in Libya, with a spokesman saying it was "out of the question".
* – The United Arab Emirates Air Force was to be involved in enforcing the no-fly zone, but the government opted to narrow its mission to providing humanitarian aid before reversing itself and sending 12 fighter jets to the Mediterranean to support international efforts. On 20 April, Al Arabiya reported that the government called for more airstrikes, insisting that Gaddafi must leave Libya and would not do so peacefully.

Middle East

* – An official in the office of President Ilham Aliyev recommended that the government formally approve of United Nations Security Council Resolution 1973, saying, "Ensuring the security of civilians in Libya is, of course, an important issue", though he complained that the UN was acting swiftly to stop Gaddafi's alleged crimes but was not making the same effort to enforce resolutions on Nagorno-Karabakh that the Azerbaijani government contends its neighbor Armenia has violated.
* – The United Kingdom is making use of its military bases in Cyprus to support coalition forces enforcing the naval blockade and no-fly zone in the Libyan theater. President Dimitris Christofias said his government does not support the intervention and is unhappy over the UK making use of the bases, though he acknowledged the UK has the legal right to do so, as they lie within its overseas territory of Akrotiri and Dhekelia on the island. Christofias has previously expressed his desire to see the British military presence removed from Cyprus.
* – On 21 March, Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei accused the West of having "come after Libyan oil". He also stressed that "Iran utterly condemns the behaviour of the Libyan government against its people, the killings and pressure on people, and the bombing of its cities... but it (also) condemns the military action in Libya". Khamenei stated that he support sending mediators rather than bombing the country.
* – Prime Minister Binyamin Netanyahu said, "Western intervention in Libya will have a positive ripple effect in Iran and elsewhere in the region". Netanyahu also said "I would expect that the world put similar pressure on Iran. Iran is at least equal to Libya, and I believe that its importance is even greater." However, Foreign Minister Avigdor Lieberman suggested Israel should keep its distance from the Libyan opposition, while the Deputy Minister for the Development of Negev and the Galilee Ayoob Kara conducted talks with the Libyan government, represented by Saif al-Islam Gaddafi, for Israel to lobby the United States against intervention in exchange for the establishment of official relations and for Libyan assistance in the release of a Hamas captive. The negotiations continued until the opposition took control of Tripoli.
* – After initially opposing international intervention in Libya, on 20 March, the Foreign Ministry released a statement after the UN Security Council voted to impose a no-fly zone over the North African state saying "Turkey will make the necessary and appropriate national contribution on grounds that the operation will protect the interest of the Libyan people ... and provide them salvation". Kemal Kılıçdaroğlu, who leads the opposition Republican People's Party, endorsed international military action in Libya, saying, "If the United Nations has passed such a resolution, then this perationhas gained international legitimacy", and praising Prime Minister Recep Tayyip Erdoğan's shift toward supporting the no-fly zone and other measures. On 21 March, Turkey's representative to NATO blocked the alliance, many members of which have already deployed forces to the Mediterranean for action in Libya, from formally joining enforcement of the Libyan no-fly zone, though Turkey voted along with the rest of NATO members for enforcement of a less controversial arms embargo. A deal was ultimately reached through intensive negotiations between Ankara, London, Paris, and Washington for NATO to assume responsibility for the no-fly zone as well.

Sub-Saharan Africa

* - Angolan Foreign Affairs Minister, Georges Chikoti, said on 29 March 2011 in Luanda, that the Angolan Government defends dialogue for the resolution of the Libyan deadlock instead of a military intervention. Speaking to the press about the current international matters, the minister said that any military intervention may contribute to the worsening of the problem. According to him, this military intervention method may not be considered as a standard to solve problems in Africa. In addition, the official recalled that the situation started with demonstrations, which were repressed violently by Libyan authorities, a situation that must be slammed by the international community. He said that with the emergence of armed rebels the country dived in a kind of civil war.
* – President Ian Khama was strongly supportive of the resolution, saying all countries should support the "well-intended" international intervention. "The least we can hope for from this intervention is the intended protection from brutality, leading to death in many cases, of Libyan citizens opposed to Muammar Gaddafi and his dictatorship", said Khama.
* – After meeting with President Paul Biya, the French ambassador to Cameroon said Biya concurs with the French position supporting the no-fly zone and the need for a ceasefire in Libya, the state-owned media outlet Cameroon Radio & Television reported on 28 March.
* – President Idriss Déby Itno, who came to power with Libyan help, criticized the Western military intervention, warning it could have "heavy consequences" and worrying about the precedent it set. Chad's ambassador to the United Nations reportedly told journalists, "This has to finish fast." In a statement, the government asked for coalition forces to ensure the protection of Chadian nationals in Libya, whom it said rebels had "singled out", "paraded on television as mercenaries", and "executed".
* – Deposed ex-President Laurent Gbagbo claimed that Gaddafi was the victim of a "neo-colonial" plan.
* – President Yahya Jammeh urged Gaddafi to step down and criticised the African Union for its "unacceptable silence." the Gambian government arranged for the evacuation of over 300 citizens of ECOWAS countries on 19 March, state-owned media reported. The government of Gambia recognized the rebel National Transitional Council on 22 April.
* – Gabon voted for the UN resolution imposing a Libyan no-fly zone on 17 March in its capacity as a nonpermanent member of the United Nations Security Council.
* – Foreign Minister Alhaji Mohammed Mumuni said that the government supported the UN in its efforts to protect civilians, saying, "Right from the onset when the crisis broke, Ghana's position was that we want to stand by the people of Libya, and we want to defend their right to live in dignity and their right to be free from any violence." However, Mumuni said, the government does not appreciate the usage of the resolution to justify airstrikes in Libya.
* – The government refused to permit Guinean citizens to rally against the intervention and in support of Gaddafi on 25 March.
* – Vice President Kalonzo Musyoka expressed opposition to international intervention in Libya and said it was "the time for Africa" to negotiate a solution to the crisis in the AU member state. It was unclear whether he was voicing his personal views or representing the position of the Kenyan "unity government" in his comments.
* – President Ellen Johnson-Sirleaf called for an end to the airstrikes, saying her position is that "violence does not help the process whichever way it comes" and calling the situation "a tragedy on all sides as lives and properties are being destroyed", according to her press secretary.
* – President Hifikepunye Pohamba condemned the NATO intervention and described the intervention as "interference in internal affairs of Africa." In his official speech he said, "As we celebrate our 21st independence anniversary, our Libyan brothers and sisters are attacked by non-African forces. Namibia reiterates the decisions of the AU Peace Council and Namibia rejects in the strongest terms any interference in internal affairs of Africa." Several MPs and high-ranking ministers assented with Pohamba's position, with the deputy speaker of Parliament referring to the West as an "enemy ... planning day and night how to keep Africa in perpetual tutelage" and even attacking the International Criminal Court, from which she suggested Namibia should withdraw.
* – The government prohibited a planned pro-Gaddafi, anti-intervention rally in late March.
* – Nigeria voted for the UN resolution to establish a Libyan no-fly zone in its capacity as a nonpermanent member of the UN Security Council on 17 March. The Nigerian ambassador to Namibia said in early April that his government supported the resolution because it took a neutral stance and helped to advance peace while allowing humanitarian aid to continue flowing into Libya.
* – On 22 March, President Paul Kagame told the BBC ''Africa Have Your Say'' programme: "It was the right thing to do. I fully support that. The fact that mistakes were made elsewhere in other instances doesn't make it right not to act in this particular case."
* – The government did not allow demonstrators protesting the airstrikes and expressing support for Gaddafi to march in Dakar, though it made no effort to prevent them from rallying in the Islamic Institute of Dakar on 30 March.
* – South Africa voted for the UN resolution to establish a Libyan no-fly zone in its capacity as a nonpermanent member of the UN Security Council on 17 March. On 21 March, President Jacob Zuma called "for an immediate ceasefire in Libya" and demanded that "operations aimed at enforcing the no-fly zone and protecting civilians should be limited to just that." He also demanded that "the UN Security Council Resolution should be implemented in letter and spirit by all members of the UN Security Council." Some unnamed government officials have voiced concern that three of the five African Union states on the five-nation ''ad hoc'' panel, of which South Africa is a member, intended to mediate the crisis are "financially reliant" upon Gaddafi and his regime. They reportedly questioned whether Pretoria should be party to the five-nation panel.
* – President Yoweri Museveni on 21 March accused Western nations of double standards, a thirst for more oil and declared, that he is "totally allergic to foreign, political and military involvement in sovereign countries, especially the African countries." He called upon the Libyan opposition groups, if they are patriots, to fight their war by themselves.
* – On 25 March, President Rupiah Banda said he backed UN Security Council Resolution 1973. "Zambia is a member of the African Union which supports the resolutions of the United Nations Security Council, and I am a member of the AU. I believe in it and I support it", said Banda.
* – On 21 March, President Robert Mugabe sharply condemned international military action in Libya, claiming coalition nations are "vampires" trying to get their hands on the country's oil. The Movement for Democratic Change, led by Prime Minister Morgan Tsvangirai, took a milder tone, calling for a ceasefire.

Americas

* – The government opposed the NATO offensive and said that "all possible diplomatic resources had not been exhausted".South American countries divided over allied bombings of Libya
/ref> President Cristina Kirchner has denounced coalition raids in Libya, saying, "When you consider that these so-called civilised countries are trying to solve problems by dropping bombs, it makes me proud to be South American."
* – President Evo Morales demanded that U.S. President Barack Obama be stripped of his Nobel Peace Prize for authorizing the attack against Libya.
* – Brazil abstained from voting on United Nations Security Council Resolution 1973 and opposed the military intervention in Libya.
* – Canada strongly supported both NATO and the UN with respect to military intervention in Libya under Operation Mobile. Canada committed six CF-188 fighter jets, two CP-140 Aurora maritime patrol aircraft, and two CC-130J Super Hercules tactical transports to the operation, as well as 435 military personnel. HMCS Charlottetown was also dispatched to the area and Lt.-Gen. Charles Bouchard of Canada took command of the NATO mission in Libya. JTF2 special operations teams are also reportedly working with British SAS and SBS teams.
* – Colombia, a nonpermanent member of the UN Security Council, voted to approve United Nations Security Council Resolution 1973.
* – In a written statement, the government backed the intervention. The statement read in part, "Costa Rica believes that governments have the responsibility of protecting civilians in case of conflicts. ... Attacks to human rights should never remain in impunity."
* – The government condemned the NATO military intervention in Libya. A statement issued by the Ministry of Foreign Affairs of Cuba said, "Conflicts should be resolved through dialogue and negotiation, and not by the use of military force".
* – President Rafael Correa called the military intervention "unacceptable". A statement issued by the Ecuador's Foreign Ministry said the government "warned that the declaration of a no-fly zone by the Security Council of the United Nations on Libya could lead to a broader intervention."

* – A government spokesman indicated support for the resolution, but the government has not yet made a formal statement.
* – A statement from the Ministry of Foreign Affairs on 20 March regarding the conflict in Libya said, "The terms of the UN Security Council resolution must be fulfilled."
* – The government condemned the intervention. Hundreds rallied in Managua against the international military efforts in several government-sanctioned demonstrations in the days following the passage of United Nations Security Council Resolution 1973. Miguel D'Escoto, an international relations adviser to President Daniel Ortega, strongly criticized the UN for passing the resolution, called it "a weapon of death at the hands of the empire". D'Escoto called the joint operation "a totally unjust war" and said it violated international law and the principle of self-determination.
* – President Ricardo Martinelli compared Gaddafi to former Panamanian strongman Manuel Noriega and likened the coalition airstrikes on Gaddafi's forces to Operation Just Cause, the United States military intervention that removed Noriega from power in 1989. "What the Libyan regime has done ... deserves the punishment and condemnation of the entire international community", Martinelli said on 20 March.
* – Foreign Affairs Secretary Jorge Lara Castro