Libya's Stalled Progress: UNSMIL Envoy Briefs UN Security Council on Political Deadlock

Institutional Deadlock and Electoral Roadblocks

• 🗓️ Four months after presenting a UN-backed roadmap, progress in Libya remains stalled due to institutional deadlock and mistrust.
• 🏛️ Efforts to advance electoral preparations have failed to meet agreed timelines, particularly concerning the reconstitution of the High National Elections Commission (HNEC).
• 🤝 Despite agreements to establish a mechanism for selecting HNEC board members, deadlines have passed without action, indicating a lack of trust between rival political bodies.
• 🗳️ The delay in amending the constitutional and legal framework for elections is also a significant hurdle, with the High State Council reconstituting its delegation to the 6+6 committee.

Structured Dialogue and Economic Stability

• 💬 UNSMIL launched the inaugural meeting of the Structured Dialogue in Tripoli, a key component of the roadmap, bringing together diverse Libyan stakeholders.
• 🌍 This dialogue aims to define guiding principles for state building and formulate recommendations on governance, economy, security, and national reconciliation.
• 💰 Libya's persistent fiscal fragmentation undermines economic stability and service delivery, though an agreement on a unified development program offers a constructive step.
• 📈 UNSMIL supports efforts to harmonize fragmented oversight and regulatory architecture and urges agreement on a unified national budget.

Security, Human Rights, and Mission Mandate

• 🛡️ Security in Tripoli has stabilized to an extent following new arrangements, but the situation in western Libya remains fragile with sporadic clashes.
• 🤝 A joint border communication center was established, promoting a unified approach to border management between the LNA and GNU.
• ⚖️ UNSMIL remains concerned about human rights violations, including violence against women, migrants, and minorities, and deaths in custody.
• 📈 The mission is implementing decisions from the Security Council, including increasing presence in eastern Libya and establishing a dedicated economic section, despite resource constraints.

Call for Unity and Overcoming Challenges

• 🚧 The political process should not be held hostage by inaction; UNSMIL will consult Libyan interlocutors on alternative mechanisms for advancing the roadmap.
• 🕊️ Leaders are urged to respond to the people's desires, rise above differences, and advance the welfare of the Libyan people for a secure and sovereign state.
• 🌟 The true spirit of independence lies in a nation's ability to shape its destiny through unity, leading to renewed legitimacy and unified institutions.