TRIPOLI – In a series of engagements to mark International Youth Day, Special Representative of the Secretary General for Libya, Hanna Tetteh, joined over forty youth on Wednesday at a meeting organized by the Youth Dialogue Forum in Tripoli to discuss the political process. 

The meeting brought together youth leaders from across the country to share their concerns and ideas regarding the development of the political process roadmap, and to discuss directly with the SRSG how youth voices should be included in the next phase of the process. 

“Libyan youth should have a say in their future,” said SRSG Tetteh. “UNSMIL has done outreach with a broad range of the Libyan public to try to understand what was considered the most desirable option, including a dedicated track for youth. Over 22,000 people have completed the poll and we have held consultations with a further 2,500 in person or online,” she said, adding that throughout, many Libyans, including youth, had made it clear that confidence in Libya’s institutions had been lost. 

“To move forward, we believe we have to focus on the tasks which need to be done to bring about elections and which bring the Libyan people back into the centre of the process,” SRSG Tetteh added. 

Participants from across the country talked through the Advisory Committee’s recommendations and highlighted their concerns and ideas. In particular, they asked for youth to be represented meaningfully in any next steps and highlighted concerns around security, the need for a constitution and the economic impact of the ongoing instability. They consistently highlighted the need for mechanisms which guarantee spoilers would be held accountable and practical security measures which ensure elections can happen, and results be respected. 

“The participating youth shared their ideas and aspirations, emphasizing that the upcoming roadmap must be realistic and implementable to bring an end to the transitional phases,” said Mahmoud Zlitni, Head of the Political Office, Youth Dialogue Forum.  

“Youth called for a greater role in the political process and expressed their readiness to act with greater freedom and flexibility to help find a solution to the political crisis,” he added. 

The SRSG highlighted the role youth – and the wider Libyan public – will continue to play in implementing the roadmap and holding Libyan stakeholders to account through the implementation of structured dialogue.  

More details about the roadmap will be released following the SRSG’s briefing to the UN Security Council on 21 August 2025.