On February 9, 2018, the President signed Presidential Notice of February 9, 2018 – Continuation of the National Emergency With Respect to Libya (published in the Federal Register on February 12, 2018), which extends for an additional year the national emergency first declared on February 25, 2011, by Executive Order (EO) 13566, 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 Qadhafi, his government, and his close associates, which took extreme measures against the people of Libya, including 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. The foregoing circumstances, the prolonged attacks against civilians, and the increased numbers of Libyans seeking refuge in other countries caused a deterioration in the security of Libya and posed a serious risk to its stability.
The national emergency is being extended because 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 Qadhafi’s family, their associates, and others hindering Libyan national reconciliation.
