On Sunday, I had the great privilege of representing the Secretary-General at Libya’s declaration of liberation in Benghazi, the city where the popular movement had begun on February 17. A peaceful movement, sparked on that day by the demand of families to know the fate of their loved ones who had disappeared in a notorious prison massacre, was met with lethal repression, and civilians across Libya took up arms in a revolution to end decades of denial of political freedoms, human rights violations, corruption and social inequality.

The declaration brings to a close a long and painful chapter in the history of Libya. Four decades of brutal dictatorship and autocratic government have tragically wasted the potential of an entire generation as well as immense opportunities and resources that could have been invested in creating a prosperous, modern nation-State.

The declaration thus marks a new beginning for the people of Libya. While expectations must be managed, the aspirations of its youth and the sacrifices they have made must guide the next phase of Libya’s transformation.