Tunis, 15 March 2018 – The file of missing persons is one of the most pressing issues in post-revolution Libya and a major challenge for the success of the national reconciliation in the country. Towards this end, the United Nations Support Mission in Libya (UNSMIL) and the UNDP, organised a two-day meeting under the theme “Knowing the Fate of Missing Persons in Libya: A Condition for Meaningful Reconciliation,” aimed at exploring best ways to address this file.

The thematic meeting contributed to mapping the main needs and challenges in working on enforced disappearances in Libya, while also recommending legal, technical and social measures in this regard. It gathered technical experts, representatives of the Institution for the Care of Families of Martyrs and Missing Persons, the Ministries of Justice, Interior, and Social Affairs, the General Attorney’s Office, in addition to families and civil society organizations. After two days of deliberations, participants agreed on a set of recommendations to address this sensitive issue. 

The participants explored the possibility of establishing a national body on missing persons in Libya, as per existing laws, and discussed mechanisms to ensure its independence from any political or institutional divisions. They called for better coordination between all relevant committees and institutions working on the file across the country, and stressed the need for relevant institutions to reach out to the families of missing persons, to encourage them to register their cases. They also requested more technical and financial support from international organizations, most of which left Libya after 2014.

The statement and recommendations of the workshop can be accessible here: