United Nations Libya Mission Unveils Plan to End Political Deadlock, Pave Way for National Elections
The people of Libya are yearning to choose their leaders, a senior United Nations official told the Security Council today, as she outlined a detailed plan to help the country to hold overdue national elections, following the recent municipal polls held after a decade-long hiatus.
Stephanie Koury, Deputy Special Representative for Political Affairs in the United Nations Support Mission in Libya (UNSMIL), congratulated the Libyan people on successfully electing 426 representatives in 58 municipalities across the country on 16 November. Municipal elections for a second group of 60 municipalities are set to start next month.
The elections are taking place against intense political polarization, marked by the presence of parallel Governments. Ms. Khoury pointed to divisions over the leadership of the High Council of State as well as the crisis over the leadership of the Central Bank. Her Mission has presented a plan for an inclusive political initiative to overcome the current deadlock, she said, adding that this process aims to preserve stability on the ground and strengthen institutions while including Libyan political forces and cultural components.
“We must be mindful of past experiences, in particular of the failed 2021 election,” she said, adding that a time-bound advisory committee will propose options for an overall road map for holding national elections. Recognizing Libya’s history of successive transitional Governments, the UNSMIL plan calls for any unified executive authority that may emerge from negotiations to be strictly bound by principles, safeguards, milestones, and timelines to ensure the country transition.
“Libya's guns largely remain silent but it is neither stable nor at peace,” she pointed out, calling on the Council to seize the opportunity for a lasting political settlement.
The Council also heard from Ali Omar, Director of Libya Crimes Watch, who described himself as a human rights defender and a former prisoner of conscience. “I speak to you today to convey the voices of victims and survivors who have endured in silence under the weight of daily violations and crimes in Libya,” he said. These are not isolated acts, but systematic and recurrent crimes carried out by security agencies and military groups, including the Libyan Armed Air Forces, the Government of National Unity, the Government endorsed by the Libyan House of Representatives in the East and the Libyan Presidential Council.
To this day, freedom of expression in Libya remains a crime, he said. “The failure of past political processes has not only prolonged the conflict but also created a breeding ground for impunity,” he stressed, asking how a country where senior positions are held by individuals accused of war crimes can organize fair elections. He called for the establishment of an independent international mechanism to investigate violations and identify individuals who exploit impunity to obstruct political and transitional justice processes.
Also briefing the Council was the representative of Japan, Chair of the Security Council Committee established pursuant to resolution 1970 (2011) concerning Libya, who presented its report for the period from 10 October to 16 December. He noted its informal meetings, including with a delegation of the Libyan Investment Authority on the implementation of the assets freeze, as well as a presentation by the Panel of Experts. On the arms embargo, he said, the Committee received a report on a vessel inspection conducted by European Union’s NAVFOR Med Operation Irini as well as another concerning an attempted vessel inspection.
“Libyans feel they live in a repeated episode of the same TV drama,” the country’s delegate said, expressing concern about the Council’s procrastination, the refusal to listen to the Libyan people and an elusive political process that has caused a decade-long transition. Any new political process or new political agreement that does not focus on holding general elections is only continuing the crisis that Libya has experienced, he said, adding: “I believe after what we have heard today that you owe an apology to the Libyan people.”
Calling on the Council to adopt a decisive stance, he rejected all attempts to expand the divisiveness, through unilateral measures or interference in national affairs. He also stressed the need to unite the security apparatus under civilian-led leadership. “The Libyan people are sick and tired of repeated failed attempts,” he added, noting that the recent elections are further proof that when the circumstances are conducive, they will choose democracy and stability.
Council members, including the representatives of Malta, Republic of Korea, France, Ecuador and Algeria, welcomed the holding of recent elections. “Libya's leaders have demonstrated their commitment to the nation's interests by successfully holding local elections,” said the latter, who also spoke for Guyana, Mozambique and Sierra Leone. He also noted that there has been little progress in appointing a new Special Representative of the Secretary-General. “This appointment is crucial and urgent as it can enable the automatic extension of [UNSMIL’s] mandate for a further nine months”, he said, stressing that continuity is vital to addressing outstanding issues related to electoral laws.
The representative of the United Kingdom also stressed the need for this appointment, as did Japan’s delegate, who said the Council should renew the Mission’s mandate even if the appointment does not happen before the end of January.
“We must not let the false sense of political stability in Libya deceive us,” stressed Slovenia’s delegate, expressing concern for the unprecedented level of influence non-State armed groups have on the country's affairs, both in the east and west. Non-State armed groups are also responsible for violations of international humanitarian human rights law and the targeting of civilians, including human rights defenders and journalists. Switzerland’s representative said an electoral process that guarantees the participation of women and all minorities requires an improvement in the human rights situation.
The representative of the United States, Council President for December, speaking in her national capacity, stressed the need to renew Libya's sanctions regime, highlighting reports of transfers of military equipment, with Russian naval vessels unloading military material. She also expressed support for UNSMIL’s political initiative, including the holding of parallel conversations. “We need a new political process in Libya as difficult as that might seem,” she said, adding that the resolution of the Central Bank crisis shows that it is possible to find tough compromises through dialogue.
The representative of the Russian Federation, however, stressed that the task for the current UN team in Tripoli “is purely to set the stage to facilitate the future new wave of UN mediation and to support the Libyan political process”. The acting Special Representative must not overstep this framework, he said. Further, the Council must leverage the fact that Council members do not have visible political disagreements on the Libyan file, he said, adding: “We are bewildered at the ongoing attempts by Western countries to organize various coteries and separate configurations on Libya.” Noting a recent London conference on Libya without the participation of key influential players “and even the Libyans themselves,” he said such events will damage the Council’s standing.
“All Libyan parties should put the interests of the country, and its people first and continue to implement the ceasefire agreement,” said China’s delegate, reiterating the Libyan authorities’ concern about the illegal misappropriation or erosion of assets. He called on relevant financial institutions to adhere to the principles of transparency and impartiality and refrain from such practices.
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